The Case Against the Global Economy and For a De-Growth Strategy

Andrew McKillop, an energy economist, consultant and editor, wrote a powerful argument against the growth of the Global Economy and against the support of it in general. He argues that society shoul
d build a De-Growth Strategy to supplant the Global Economy and “create a long-term stable future.” The collaborative consumption movement and expansion of the Access Economy completely supports the move toward a De-Growth Strategy. Redistribution and increased utilization of existing assets contributes to a reduction in growth of product-producing markets. Additionally, the nurturing of local community networks through increased interaction and improved trust networks help support local cultures and help support local culture and neighborhoods.

Source: TheDailyStar.net

The premise of the argument begins with a problem statement about our Global Economy (emphasis throughout the quoted text is added by me):

Perhaps the largest, most ramifying but also highest level problem of the inability to change to an inclusive, sustainable economy, is the Global Economy. Why this is a problem generator, not solver, is obvious: it is in permanent unstable equilibrium due to needing permanent growth of output, predominantly based on the throughput of depletable and depleting natural resources.

The dependency on growth to maintain the "unstable equilibrium" of the Global Economy is linked to our sustainability challenges, regarding resource availability and climate change.  McKillop states, "Nearly all the complex of resource, energy and environment challenges we face are linked with or generated by the global economy."  Reverting back to the Ethos for the blog, the Global Economy is built on a specific product delivery model, or lifecycle model, where resources are input, a value is added by a number of entities, and the product is disposed of in the form of waste after its useful life.  This model steers the Global Economy onto unstable and dangerous trajectories.

De-Growth is a strategy forward that can supplant the Global Economy:

Due to resource, environment and climatic limits on conventional economic growth, and for both social and cultural reasons, planned and organized de-growth is a key solution, as well as a solution generator and multiplier, for transition to the long-term sustainable society.

And De-Growth does not imply a permanent economic recession:

Real and beneficial de-growth is above all not permanent economic recession, nor social and cultural regression. In addition, de-growth will not be a temporary condition, but a long-term stable economic framework for an entirely new and regenerative social and cultural process.

In considering the state of the Global Economy and the Planet, De-Growth offers the best and possibly only option forward to avoid a societal and economic breakdown in the future:

De-growth is therefore in fine the only option due to the global economy and globalizing culture and society being locked-on to a trajectory of final breakdown, perhaps with very grave geopolitical sequels, and possibly within as little as five years.

Our efforts to grow the collaborative consumption movement from a ripple to a tidal wave across developed economies is integral in a shift toward De-Growth.  This movement is more important than just a different way to access "stuff" and interact in your community.  It could be a massive shift in consumerism, society and the product lifestyle model.

Link to original article at Share the World's Resources.