Degrowth, Democracy and Autonomy

Abstract

The quest for real democracy is one of the components of sustainable degrowth. But the incipient debate on democracy and degrowth suffers from general definitions and limited connections to political philosophy and democracy theory. This article offers a critical review of democracy theory within the degrowth literature, taking as its focal point a relevant debate between Serge Latouche and Takis Fotopoulos. We argue that the core of their contention can be traced back to the relationship between the concepts of democracy and autonomy as defined by philosopher Cornelius Castoriadis, which both authors and generally the degrowth movement consider as one of their theoretical reference points. We show how both Latouche and Fotopoulos hold a misconception of Castoriadis' notions of autonomy, the social imaginary and politics, which in turn limits their cognisance of democracy and hence confuses their debate concerning the possibilities for a degrowth transition within the confines of a liberal parliamentary democracy. With a clarified theoretical understanding of the interconnected democracy-autonomy assemble, we proceed to an evaluation of the revolutionary potential of the degrowth movement and to a better understanding of a possible relationship between democracy and degrowth.

Socially sustainable degrowth as a social–ecological transformation: repoliticizing sustainability

“…Degrowth aims to open up the democratic discussion of selective downscaling of man-made capital and of the institutions needed for such a 'prosperous way down ' (Odum and Odum 2001). An important lesson taken from early political ecologists is that degrowth is about a (collective and individual) democratic movement of establishing limits within which human well-being and creativity can flourish (Muraca 2013;Kallis et al 2014;Asara et al 2013). The literature on autonomy emphasizes collective self-limitations, rather than (external) limits to growth, invoked not to protect nature or avoid disaster, but because simplicity, conviviality and frugality is how good life is conceived.…”

What is Degrowth? From an Activist Slogan to a Social Movement

“…He defended the ideas of 'self-institutionalising society' and of autonomy, meant as an entity that governs itself with its own laws. He defended that democracy can only exist by (and with) self-limitation (Castoriadis 1988;Asara et al 2013).…”

Between activism and science: grassroots concepts for sustainability coined by Environmental Justice Organizations

“…It is an example of activist-led science now consolidating into proposals analyzed in articles and special issues of academic journals (Asara et al, 2013;Cattaneo et al 2012;Demaria et al 2013;Kallis et al , 2012Martinez-Alier et al 2011;Schneider et al , 2011Sekulova et al 2013). Supporting the Degrowth movement, there is also a new _______________________________________________________________________________________ 49 For more information, see http://www.righttothecity.org/our-history.html ecological macroeconomics without growth (Jackson 2011;Victor 2008), building upon Herman Daly's steady state economics of 1973, Georgescu-Roegen's "bioeconomics" (1971,1979), and the debates of the early 1970s and other literature on limits to growth (Meadows 1972(Meadows , 2004Odum 2001) with close links to social metabolic analyses mentioned earlier (EROI, material flows, carbon and water footprints).…”