What is Degrowth?

This page presents a definition of degrowth that goes beyond the mainstream narrative, weaving together the rich tapestry of ideas, struggles, and movements that have shaped its evolution. Here, we invite you to delve into a vision of degrowth that reflects plural aspirations and the potential of connected efforts, one that is as diverse and inclusive as humanity itself. A definition that recognises the contributions of all voices in the conversation—from grassroots activists and dreamers to social movements and academic scholars.

Degrowth is both a transformative movement and a critical framework.

Transformative movement: A social movement with the aim of making major changes to society to achieve systemic change.
Critical framework: A theoretical approach that questions power structures, economic dynamics, and social norms to encourage critical thinking.

It challenges the prevailing growth-centric economic and social paradigms. It advocates for a reduction in material and energy used in production and consumption to align human activities with ecological limits, and requires that this reduction is planned and democratic. A key part of this change is to ensure social justice and enhance well-being for all. For example, degrowth means something different for communities in the Global South, where many economies still need to grow, and where the effects of overconsumption and the resulting exploitation and repression by the North is still a daily reality that needs to change with urgency. Degrowth is not a one-size-fits-all concept, but a mosaic of ideas, practices, and visions that draw from various sources.

Degrowth recognises that sustainable practices and equitable living arrangements (communities or societies where all people are considered equal) have long been part of many cultures and societies around the world. It embraces wisdom from grassroots movements, indigenous traditions, feminist theories, anti-racist actions, queer empowerment, anti-colonial and anti-imperial struggles, and other critical perspectives that have historically been left out of the conversation. It strives to open up discussions about equitable, sustainable living to everyone, highlighting the importance of local actions, communal living, care work, genuine democracy, and cooperation-focused economies. It also takes a close look at how the big picture—like the world's economy and how countries work together—affects different places in unique ways. It's all about aiming for fairness and justice worldwide by transforming how we handle money, business, and making things.

Degrowth envisions a world where communities are organised around values of care, commons, sharing, simplicity, and conviviality (enjoying life together). It values the important roles and experiences of people from all walks of life and weaves them into a broad, welcoming story. By doing so, degrowth moves beyond abstract critiques of capitalism to foster practical actions and strategies for societal and political transformation.

In promoting degrowth, thinkers, actors, artists, activists, practitioners, and many others encourage a shift to a more open and diverse dialogue about a just and sustainable future. This is a dialogue that is not hierarchical or exclusionary. It means moving away from defining degrowth through a singular lens and, instead, recognising a spectrum of degrowth literature, thinkers, and actors contributing to a shared vision and its full potential.

Through this inclusive approach, degrowth aims to weave together a tapestry of solidarity across divisions, diversities, and hierarchies and champion a future where ecological sustainability and human flourishing are intertwined.

Further Reading

Centring the Global South in the Discourse - external link - By Barbara Magalhães Teixeira and Başak Koşanay

This reading is crucial since many of the ideas in degrowth discourses come from movements and cosmovisions of the Global South.

This discussion stresses the urgency for Majority World actors to take the lead in embracing degrowth. Global South societies cannot wait for those in the North to act first, especially given it has historically caused much of the ecological and social harm we face today. Continuing to focus on the Global North not only keeps old inequalities and hierarchies in place but also overlooks the potential for the visions and practices of the majority World to initiate real change. Having been the oppressor, Northern ideas might not be the best to lead the charge for freedom from these global issues.

Southern ideas, actors and initiatives are envisioned as a powerful source of resistance and the true catalyst for a degrowth transition that the whole world needs. This shift involves breaking away from the global capitalist economy and leading by example, prompting necessary changes from Northern systems and actors as well.

Bridging Degrowth and Buen Vivir - external link - By Katharina Richter

This thesis explores the dialogue between the degrowth movement and Buen Vivir/sumak kawsay, a paradigm from Latin America advocating for life in harmony beyond development. It contributes to the important conversations on decolonizing degrowth by highlighting how degrowth's often ecological-economic-euro-centric focus on socioeconomic aspects leaves cultural dimensions less explored.

Responding to this, the thesis introduces cultural and political alternatives that challenge degrowth's human-centred focus. It proposes a decolonial framework that centres on relational justice (fair relationships among all beings), the reintegration of nature into our social fabric and cosmological limits to growth (limits set by worldviews – and their accompanying practices – that embed humankind within the living world, rather than considering humans as the masters of a controllable, inert nature).

Feminism's Key Role in Degrowth - external link- By the Feminisms and Degrowth Alliance

Feminist theories and methods that acknowledge and support diverse voices, knowledges, and practices are vital resources for building on degrowth movements. In dialogue with postcolonial, decolonial, indigenous, and anti-racist efforts, intersectional feminisms have been unlearning and disrupting conventional politics of knowing and action in ways that help forge more inclusive understandings and applications necessary for degrowth futures. Feminist thinking helps us imagine a world where everyone's well-being matters, not just economic growth.

The Flower of Transformation - external link - By Ashish Kothari

This piece illuminates hope amidst global crises through resistance and radical alternatives. Kotharis's "Flower of Transformation" framework outlines key elements for societal change: ecological integrity, social justice, direct democracy, economic democracy, and cultural diversity. Highlighting initiatives worldwide, Kothari champions holistic solutions that ensure sustainability, equity, participatory governance, and respect for diverse cultures and knowledge systems. This vision offers a pathway to a just and sustainable future grounded in community empowerment and ecological respect.

This definition of degrowth is by no means definitive or exhaustive. It is meant to show that degrowth is influenced by much more than what we usually hear in the Eurocentric, ecological-economics-academic discourse. Please do reach out if you would like to edit/add to it. If you would like to learn more about what a degrowth economy would mean in practical terms, we recommend you check out the page below.