The terms “degrowth” and “post-growth” summarise concepts aimed at overcoming economic growth and achieving a fundamental ecological-social transformation (see Transformation).81 Degrowth activists argue that the world will sooner or later hit so-called “planetary boundaries” through capitalist economic activity, necessitating a drastic reduction in current resource consumption.
The movement originated in the emerging critical theories on sustainability and ecology in the 1970s.82 Despite all previous failed predictions about resource scarcity, the degrowth movement warns of an ecologically induced Malthusian resource shortage. It claims that economic growth cannot be decoupled from increasing consumption of natural resources (so-called “decoupling”). The allegedly fragile planetary resources of the Earth would force an imminent end to growth, as long-term growth is not ecologically sustainable.83 To halt, in particular, the catastrophic consequences of climate change, a planned-economy transformation with radical interventions should be initiated. Through this transformation, degrowth activists seek to enforce a much lower energy and resource consumption. Additionally, global inequality is to be reduced through global redistribution. Instead of growth and prosperity, well-being should be the focus of the new economy (see Climate Justice).84
Critics of the degrowth movement argue that while natural resources and raw materials are limited, human innovative capacity is not: limited resources can be replaced by new alternatives, as new technologies constantly emerge in capitalism. Through this continuous progress, humanity has already overcome threatening growth limits in the past.85 Using capitalist market laws, scarce resources can be distributed most efficiently while developing ever-better technologies. Economic growth remains necessary to reduce global poverty.86
Real-world misery plays little role in degrowth models; the primary focus is on a life with as few resources as possible on the planet. The reality of goal conflicts between minimising resource consumption and minimising extreme poverty is ignored. Instead, the degrowth perspective applies new-left ideas about oppression to the environment, nature, and the future (see Conflict): an allegedly excessive resource consumption is problematised as a form of oppression of nature at the expense of future generations.
It is often overlooked how important affordable energy is for the fight against poverty, hunger, and other human problems.87 Ecological-economic pragmatism is also ignored: economic shrinkage makes future ecological crises harder to manage, as less money and technology are available for protective measures without economic growth.88
From a societal perspective, economic growth forms the basic prerequisite for resolving distribution conflicts. Only through growth can overall incomes rise, so that in principle everyone can receive more. Woke ideologies, however, view the world as zero-sum games between oppressors and oppressed, ignoring synergistic gains.
This perspective is justified only in a world without growth, where all distribution conflicts intensify: gains then function only as a cynical zero-sum game; on average, everyone loses. Eco-socialist degrowth activists seek to halt the successes of the market economy in the 21st century in the name of ecologically measured well-being (see Capitalism).
To achieve this, a worsening of miserable living conditions is accepted, as degrowth activists oppose the use of fossil raw materials, which currently account for more than 80% of primary energy. Energy poverty is everyday reality for countless people living in extreme poverty. In Africa alone, around 600 million people lack secure access to electricity, corresponding to about 50% of the population.89