Library

By: Thomas Wallgren

Abstract: The new green movement that appeared in the 1960s and 1970s claimed that because of objective limits economic growth had become a false development goal. The claim is interpreted as a claim about an intrinsic tension between two cultural aspirations fundamental to the project of high modernity, ethical universalism and increasing material prosperity for all. Since the mid 1980s the id...

By: Panos Petridis

Abstract: The density of events over the last years, together with the continuous scaremongering from the dominant political and media circles, has put the Greek society into an informal “economic state of exception”. Austerity measures and neoliberal policies such as large scale privatisations, under the name of “reform” or “modernisation” are presented as a painful but necessary evil and a va...

By: Matthias Finger, Jacques Grinevald

From the text: There is, on the one hand, ever more economic growth and development as actively promoted by the projects of engineers (modern engineering), big science (physical and biological sciences), including the social sciences and mainstream economics, the competitive Nation-State system and related intergovernmental organizations, as well as by the firms and others big business actors, ...

By: Giuliano Cannata

Introduction: What is really happening to the humanity beyond the crysis that touch a part of western economy and the transformation of energetic and communication technologies. Within a scenario of deep social uncertainty and structural crisis in advanced economies, there could be an underestimation of the present real revolution: i.e. the end of growth of human species on earth. Actually this...

By: Graziano Naressi

Contribution to the 3rd International Degrowth Conference for Ecological Sustainability and Social Equity in Venice in 2012. - only available in Italian

By: Maurizio Pallante

Introduction: Analysis of the situation and premises The gravity of the problem of public debt has not been underestimated. It is the foundation on which growth of the present historical period is built, indispensable for the purposes of increasing production of commodities. It is a choice pursued knowingly and unanimously by governments of the right and left in all industrialized countries. ...

By: Andrea Baranes

Introduction: Too much welfare? Some European countries, namely the PIIGS (Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece and Spain) have lived beyond their capabilities. Too much welfare and too many social expenditures led to an increasing public debt. It is now time to impose some discipline over these “spendthrift” states, in order to force them to tighten their belts and put order into their public acco...

By: Sacha Kagan

The global crisis of unsustainability is not only a crisis of the hardware of civilization, it is also a crisis of the software of minds. The search for a more sustainable development in the ‘developed’ world has, so far, been focusing too much on hardware updates, such as new technologies, economic incentives, policies and regulations, and too little on software revisions, that is cultural tra...

By: Parti Pour La Decroissance

From the text: . . . What is most paradoxical in this France who feels « abandoned » and « toils » away, is that it has the good fortune to be situated in strategic areas for our future. While, for these peoples, « cities » are the « symbols of a successful globalisation » – which further reinforces their sense of frustration – the city finds itself in an energy and environmental dead end. Ther...

By: Claudio Franzius, Ulrich K. Preuß

The EU debt crisis has clearly shown that the monetary union cannot be upheld without coordinated fiscal and economic policies. But many citizens are under the impression that their voices, and those of their national parliaments, are being sidelined in favour of ever-greater centralisation – and that, in the process, democracy is being eroded. Thus the debt crisis may easily trigger a crisis o...

By: Harvey L. Mead

Introduction: Le discours actuel n’est que pour les façons d’assurer une sortie de crise, d’une reprise de l’activité économique, de sa croissance. Il n’y a presque aucune attention portée sur la possibilité qu’un changement de paradigme s’impose devant les faiblesses du paradigme actuel montrées par la crise financière et ensuite économique (sans parler de la crise écologique). L’ampleur de la...

By: Olli Tammilehto

From the paper: Though the chances of dethroning growth by a huge increase of social movement activities in the near future seem very slim, there are reasons why we still have hope. Social change movements exist, and there are historical experiences indicating that in dire situations these movements can change and grow rapidly. Witness, as of this writing in November 2011, the Occupy Wall Stree...

By: Mauro Bonaiuti

From the paper: This article intends first of all to offer a contribution to the analysis of the current multidimensional crisis and to help construct this shared view; at the same time, it reveals why orthodox economic prescriptions, of both neoclassical and Keynsian inspiration, cannot lead to a lasting solution to the crisis. Special Issue: Degrowth Symposium Capitalism Nature Socialism, ...

By: Kristofer Dittmer

Abstract: Local currencies issued by civil society are often advocated by the degrowth movement as innovations that facilitate voluntary degrowth, but also as tools for coping with chaotic instances of unvoluntary degrowth, such as the present crisis in southern Europe. This paper provides a concise history of Argentina’s barter networks, which attracted millions of participants during the econ...

By: Fabian Scheidler

Fabian Scheidler gibt im Rahmen des Attac Kongresses "Jenseits des Wachstums" im Mai 2011 einen Überblick über zentrale Befunde und Forderungen der Wachstumskritik.

By: Barbara Muraca, Klaus Dörre

Vortrag von Barbara Muraca und Klaus Dörre bei der Veranstaltung "Wohlstand ohne Wachstum?" des DGB 2011 in Berlin mit dem Titel "Bedingungen einer Postwachstumsgesellschaft". Beschreibung: Baraba Muraca setzt sich in ihrem Vortrag mit der Frage des „guten Lebens" in Postwachstumsgesellschaften auseinander. Ausganspunkt ihrer Überlegungen ist die Feststellung, dass Wachstum zunehmend eher a...

By: Hubert Weiger, Franz Radermacher, Josef Riegler

Die Welt steht vor extremen Herausforderungen: eine rasch wachsende Weltbevölkerung, ein überdimensionierter ökologischer Fußabdruck, massiver Wettbewerb um knappe Ressourcen, ein dramatisches Wohlstandsgefälle zwischen Nord und Süd, eine sich ankündigende Klimakatastrophe und ein gerade noch abgewendeter Kollaps des Weltfinanzsystems fordern Lösungen. Sind die vor uns liegenden Probleme beherr...

By: Christine Dettmer, Christoph Ernst, David Lorenz, Michel Raab, Nancy Wagenknecht

Eine angemessene Kritik an den gesellschaftlichen Verhältnissen zu entwickeln ist eine vordringliche Aufgabe emanzipatorischer Bildungsarbeit. Am Kapitalismus als einem bestimmten Moment der heutigen Gesellschaft kommt man dabei kaum vorbei. Mit der globalen Finanzkrise 2007/08 und der ihr folgenden globalen Wirtschafts- und Schuldenkrise ist die Frage nach der Funktion und nach angemessener Kr...

By: Teppo Eskelinen, Josef Baum, Lutz Brangsch, Chantal Delmas, Jean-Marie Harribey, Elena Papadopoulou

Content: - Preface: Growth – an Indicator of the Past, Teppo Eskelinen – political philosopher, Left Forum (Finland) - A Note on Economic Growth Seen Through the Prism of the Crisis, Elena Papadopoulou – economist, Nicos Poulantzas Institute (Greece) - Let’s Talk About Money, Value and Wealth, Jean-Marie Harribey - economist, former co-president Attac (France) - In Search of a (New) Comp...

By: Bruno Kern, Conny Baudisch, Hartwig Daniels, Roman Haug, Theo Tekaat

attac: Das Thesenpapier ist aus einem intensiven Diskussionsprozess innerhalb von Attac Mainz sowie mit BündnispartnerInnen und SympathisantInnen entstanden. Es zeigt auf, dass angesichts des Klimawandels und der Ressourcenknappheit ein radikaler Schrumpfungsprozess der Ökonomie unausweichlich ist. Die Thesen zielen vor allem darauf ab, diesen Schrumpfungsprozess solidarisch zu gestalten, um d...