Conflicts, Wars – and our current economic system
The fight for resources such as mineral resources and land is currently the second most common cause of conflict. The climate crisis is already exacerbating such conflicts and will continue to intensify them in the future by resource shortages and natural disasters. The people who historically contributed the least to the climate crisis already suffer most from the catastrophic consequences. Conflicts of resources within national borders, but especially at global level, are fueled by profit interests and competition. At the same time, the current Western economic system destroys its own foundation – our ecological basis. In recent years, the concept of "degrowth" has developed as a criticism of this destructive and powerful system.
The concept of Degrowth / Post Growth
The word 'degrowth' means in German as much as 'return in growth' or 'degrowth'. In German, the terms "degrowth" and "post-growth" are often used in the same way. The central goal of Degrowth is to achieve a lower and therefore sustainable level of production and consumption. This will enable a good life for all within the planetary boundaries. Since the high-income countries have a high consumption per capita, Degrowth is a demand for countries of the global North. Our current economic system places the interests less on the well-being of Aller. That is why we need a change to a system that instead focuses on social and ecological justice. It is not enough to rely exclusively on 'sufficiency', i.e. material pleasure. The sole criticism of excessive consumption is often de-politising. Rather, we need a system change – and this requires a radical redistribution of resources and a cultural change to shared values such as concern, solidarity and autonomy.
Degrowth, however, is by no means equal to a recession, as we are experiencing, for example, in the Corona crisis. A recession ultimately means the undesirable reduction in the current economy – because this economic system needs growth in order not to collapse. These recessions often have catastrophic consequences: budgetary deficits, unemployment, poverty. In contrast, Degrowth is about a change to a completely new economy. An economy that is not dependent on economic growth.
A short story
Degrowth appeared for the first time as a French version (Décroissance) in 1972. The social philosopher André Gorz and the report of the 'Club of Rome', 'The Limits of Growth', thus sparked a broad debate. In the early 2000 years, Degrowth first developed into an activist slogan in France, later followed by Italy and Spain. Only in 2008, at the first international Degrowth conference in Paris, was the English term "Degrowth". Again two years later, in 2010, Degrowth and Post-growth in Germany more and more in discussions in appearance, initiated by the creation of the "Network for Growth Transition". Degrowth is theory and practice – research field and activism at the same time.
Green growth? – No, thanks.
The Way of Transformation
Instead of geo-engineering and other technological all-health, we need solutions that are already feasible – such as unconditional basic and maximum income, a 4-day working week, the abolition of GDP as a wealth indicator, the promotion of solidaric economy, the reduction of advertising and diveestment from fossil industries. Political measures can promote social-ecological transformation as legal framework conditions. However, it is not about establishing a kind of eco-dictatorial against the will of the population in a 'top-down' procedure. Rather, we need a social change and a voluntary, collective change of behaviour.
Degrowth as a vision for social movements
If you look closely, Degrowth also discovers many aspects that are central in different social movements: maintaining the climate crisis or destroying the environment in general in the climate/environmental movement; the pursuit of gender or gender equality in the (queer-)feminist movement; the fight against global and national exploitation structures of the anti-racism movement; the aim of a global peaceful coexistence of the peace movement.
How can Degrowth be relevant as a vision for the peace movement?
The Norwegian peace researcher Johan Galtung developed the concept of positive peace in 1971. This differs from the negative peace, which is characterized only by the pure absence of violence and war. Positive peace goes beyond it and also negates structural violence that often occurs more subtle. This structural violence is often accompanied by the unequal distribution of resources and power over the distribution of those resources. As already mentioned, Degrowth seeks to abolish this unequal distribution. Global justice is achieved through planned degrowth in the Global North, which leaves countries in the Global South to open prospects beyond the Western, ecologically disastrous development model. From the perspective of the countries of the Global North, Degrowth also stands for an expanded understanding of democracy in which local government and self-government structures are to be strengthened. In addition, Degrowth's feminist perspective is also particularly important for overcoming structural violence. With the help of discussions on the subject of "work" – paid work, unpaid work and care work in general – the prevailing disparities are to be transformed.
Degrowth is the vision of a good life for everyone. For today's people and tomorrow's people. This good life does not provide space for structural violence in any form. It is also a vision for the peace movement.
Further information:
Degrowth / Post Growth for Introduction (Andrea Vetter, Matthias Schmelzer)
www.degrowth.info/de
