Degrowth Group Assembly Process

Democracy

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How might a transition towards degrowth look like? Whose voices are heard, whose are rejected?

Can a democratic degrowth society remain within the systemic structures of modern societies? If not, what would have to change?

How do we deal with the challenge of open-endedness of direct democratic processes, which might very well lead to paths contrary to degrowth?

Papers

P. Altmann, “Good Life between Buen Vivir and Sumak Kawsay – Indicators of a political concept in Ecuador”, in Fourth International Conference on Degrowth for Ecological Sustainability and Social Equity, Leipzig, 2014.Office presentation icon Degrowth2014_Altmann_Sumak Kawsay_Good Life.ppt (138 KB)PDF icon 3296.pdf (54.59 KB)
L. Alvarez and Hernández, M. S. Lysete, “Of the Constitutive Principles of a Post-Capitalist Economy”, in Fourth International Conference on Degrowth for Ecological Sustainability and Social Equity, Leipzig, 2014.PDF icon 3576.pdf (226.63 KB)
R. Amicolo, “The garbage crisis, the ecological justice and enviromental migrants in Campania (Southern Italy)”, in Fourth International Conference on Degrowth for Ecological Sustainability and Social Equity, Leipzig, 2014.PDF icon 3504.pdf (118.31 KB)
R. Amicolo, “The garbage crisis , environmental migrants and ecological justice in Campania (Southern Italy)”, in Fourth International Conference on Degrowth for Ecological Sustainability and Social Equity, Leipzig, 2014.PDF icon 3367.pdf (71.47 KB)
N. Anastasopoulos, “Redefining sustainability, resilience and Buen Vivir in a Social Knowledge economy context: The Ecuador experiment”, in Fourth International Conference on Degrowth for Ecological Sustainability and Social Equity, Leipzig, 2014.PDF icon 3458.pdf (338.05 KB)
D. Andreucci and Gallardo, L., “Sumak Kawsay and Degrowth: Towards new struggles against extractive development”, in Fourth International Conference on Degrowth for Ecological Sustainability and Social Equity, Leipzig, 2014.
K. Andriotis, “Degrowing Tourism”, in Fourth International Conference on Degrowth for Ecological Sustainability and Social Equity, Leipzig, 2014.PDF icon 3616.pdf (53.95 KB)
A. Anson, ““The World is My Backyard”: Critiquing Mobility From Inside the Tiny House Movement”, in Fourth International Conference on Degrowth for Ecological Sustainability and Social Equity, Leipzig, 2014.PDF icon 3167.pdf (181.58 KB)
H. Aoki and Kawamiya, N., “Primary Energy Analysis: A New Approach beyond Extant Growth Theories (revised version)”, in Fourth International Conference on Degrowth for Ecological Sustainability and Social Equity, Leipzig, 2014.PDF icon Degrowth2014_Aoki_PrimaryEnergyAnalysis(ppt).pdf (1.29 MB)PDF icon Degrowth2014_Aoki_PrimaryEnergyAnalysis(handout).pdf (927.15 KB)PDF icon 3588.pdf (197.13 KB)
H. Aoki and Kawamiya, N., “The Ultimate Dilemma For Artificial Capitals: ever scarcer natural resources claim ever larger artificial capital”, in Fourth International Conference on Degrowth for Ecological Sustainability and Social Equity, Leipzig, 2014.PDF icon Degrowth2014_Aoki_TheUltimateDilemma(handout).pdf (1.06 MB)PDF icon Degrowth2014_Aoki_TheUltimateDilemma(ppt).pdf (1.86 MB)PDF icon 3743.pdf (368.2 KB)

Participants

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Results from Leipzig 2014

Proposals for the Transformation

  • The necessary shifts will only be democratic but it needs to be an alternative to the representative democratic system we experience today.

    • More time.

    • More inclusive.

    • Enable autonomous societies.

    • Look for windows of opportunity.

  • System should be a combination of direct and delegated democracy with binding mandate:

    • Direct democracies are the fundamental building blocks.

    • Delegated democracy is accountable to smallest units.

    • Direct democracy/ real autonomy needs some (self-determined) fundamental rules or institutional safeguards or norms (e.g. non-racism, ecological, human rights etc).

    • Direct democracy is a deliberative learning process/ consensus.

    • Need to connect degrowth to existing direct democratic structures.

Controversial aspects:

  • Democracy and education should be free from economic interest/commodification.

  • Political parties should be dissolved.

  • Create spaces and networks for enhanced participation in politics and decision-making (e.g. citizen juries).

  • More participatory institutions.

  • Experiments for different kinds of decision-making.

  • The question of power:

    • Representative democracy is flawed in terms of power-distribution.

    • Power is necessary for the shift, direct democracy might not provide this.

Results from Barcelona 2010

Here you can find the results of the GAP at the Degrowth Conference 2010 in Barcelona that are particularly relevant for this working group. More