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De-growth: Some suggestions from the Simpler Way perspective

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  • Trainer, Ted

Abstract

It is argued that there are some important issues which the current de growth literature neglects. The first is the sheer magnitude of the global predicament, which determines not just the insufficiently recognized difficulty of the transition task but also that the goals and means must take particular and largely unrecognized forms. The goal cannot be reform of the existing society; it must be transition to a radically different kind of society, one labeled here as a radically Simpler Way. Current discussion indicates little recognition of this point. Similarly there are coercive logical implications for transition strategy, and these indicate that currently dominant transition assumptions are mistaken. The key element is not economic or political change, it is cultural change. These claims are shown to be logically implied by basic limits to growth considerations.

Suggested Citation

  • Trainer, Ted, 2020. "De-growth: Some suggestions from the Simpler Way perspective," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:167:y:2020:i:c:s0921800919307335
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2019.106436
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Alexander, Samuel & Rutherford, Jonathan & Floyd, Joshua, 2018. "A Critique of the Australian National Outlook Decoupling Strategy: A ‘Limits to Growth’ Perspective," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 10-17.
    2. Ayres, Robert U. & van den Bergh, Jeroen C.J.M. & Lindenberger, Dietmar & Warr, Benjamin, 2013. "The underestimated contribution of energy to economic growth," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 27(C), pages 79-88.
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    Cited by:

    1. Engler, John-Oliver & Kretschmer, Max-Friedemann & Rathgens, Julius & Ament, Joe A. & Huth, Thomas & von Wehrden, Henrik, 2024. "15 years of degrowth research: A systematic review," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 218(C).
    2. Jyrki Luukkanen & Jarmo Vehmas & Jari Kaivo-oja & Tadhg O’Mahony, 2024. "Towards a General Theory of Sustainable Development: Using a Sustainability Window Approach to Explore All Possible Scenario Paths of Economic Growth and Degrowth," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-31, June.
    3. Richard Bärnthaler & Andreas Novy & Lea Arzberger & Astrid Krisch & Hans Volmary, 2024. "The power to transform structures: power complexes and the challenges for realising a wellbeing economy," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-16, December.
    4. Hüttel, Alexandra & Balderjahn, Ingo & Hoffmann, Stefan, 2020. "Welfare Beyond Consumption: The Benefits of Having Less," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    5. Buch-Hansen, Hubert & Nesterova, Iana, 2023. "Less and more: Conceptualising degrowth transformations," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 205(C).
    6. Ludmila Aleksandrovna Kormishkina & Evgenii Danilovich Kormishkin & Oksana Sergeevna Sausheva & Dmitrii Aleksandrovich Koloskov, 2021. "Economic Incentives for Environmental Investment in Modern Russia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-12, October.

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