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Degrowth and the State

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  • D’Alisa, Giacomo
  • Kallis, Giorgos

Abstract

This paper addresses a gap in degrowth scholarship: the lack of a theory of the state. Those who write about degrowth advocate radical policy and social change, but have no model to explain how, why and under what conditions such change could come about and what role the state would play in it. This is because they have no theory of what the state is, or when and why it changes. We review for the first time the Anglophone and Francophone literatures on state and degrowth and find both wanting. We propose a Gramscian theory of the state suitable for thinking about degrowth and show with the example of strategizing for a maximum income policy how this suits the degrowth literature’s emphasis on a combination of grassroots and institutional actions.

Suggested Citation

  • D’Alisa, Giacomo & Kallis, Giorgos, 2020. "Degrowth and the State," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:169:y:2020:i:c:s092180091831749x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2019.106486
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Joutsenvirta, Maria, 2016. "A practice approach to the institutionalization of economic degrowth," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 23-32.
    2. Schmelzer, Matthias, 2015. "The growth paradigm: History, hegemony, and the contested making of economic growthmanship," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 262-271.
    3. Katarina Buhr & Karolina Isaksson & Pernilla Hagbert, 2018. "Local Interpretations of Degrowth—Actors, Arenas and Attempts to Influence Policy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-14, June.
    4. Weiss, Martin & Cattaneo, Claudio, 2017. "Degrowth – Taking Stock and Reviewing an Emerging Academic Paradigm," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 137(C), pages 220-230.
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    Cited by:

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    12. Hennen, Sonja, 2022. "Concepts of justice in the degrowth debate," IPE Working Papers 179/2022, Berlin School of Economics and Law, Institute for International Political Economy (IPE).
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    16. 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).
    17. François, Martin & Mertens de Wilmars, Sybille & Maréchal, Kevin, 2023. "Unlocking the potential of income and wealth caps in post-growth transformation: A framework for improving policy design," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 208(C).
    18. Mastini, Riccardo & Kallis, Giorgos & Hickel, Jason, 2021. "A Green New Deal without growth?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    19. Polewsky, Max & Hankammer, Stephan & Kleer, Robin & Antons, David, 2024. "Degrowth vs. Green Growth. A computational review and interdisciplinary research agenda," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 217(C).
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