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

H. Aoki and Kawamiya, N., “Primary Energy Analysis: A New Approach beyond Extant Growth Theories”, in Fourth International Conference on Degrowth for Ecological Sustainability and Social Equity, Leipzig, 2014.PDF icon Degrowth2014_Aoki_PrimaryEnergyAnalysis(handout).pdf (927.15 KB)PDF icon Degrowth2014_Aoki_PrimaryEnergyAnalysis(ppt).pdf (1.29 MB)PDF icon 3485.pdf (385.75 KB)
C. Apostolidi, “Is there still no alternative? Self-management under a degrowth perspective: a comparative approach between two case studies in France (Fralib) and Greece (VioMe)”, in Fourth International Conference on Degrowth for Ecological Sustainability and Social Equity, Leipzig, 2014.File Degrowth2014_Apostolidi_Is there still no alternative? Self-management under a degrowth perspective: a comparative approach between two case studies in France (Fralib) and Greece (VioMe).pptx (260.36 KB)PDF icon 3759.pdf (233.66 KB)
viviana asara and Kallis, D. Prof. Gior, “The Indignados movement: between prefiguration and creation of alternatives”, in Fourth International Conference on Degrowth for Ecological Sustainability and Social Equity, Leipzig, 2014.
C. Ax, “Growth vs Degrowth - Do we rally have the choice?”, in Fourth International Conference on Degrowth for Ecological Sustainability and Social Equity, Leipzig, 2014.PDF icon 3594.pdf (36.8 KB)
R. Bakshi, “An Economy of Permanence and Rethinking Value”, in Fourth International Conference on Degrowth for Ecological Sustainability and Social Equity, Leipzig, 2014.PDF icon Baks.pdf (216.46 KB)
G. Barbas Baptista, “Learning and building knowledge for degrowth: communities of practice and peer production across scales and beyond roles”, in Fourth International Conference on Degrowth for Ecological Sustainability and Social Equity, Leipzig, 2014.PDF icon 3734.pdf (86.53 KB)
G. Barbas Baptista, “Scaling up collective action and advancing knowledge on degrowth from the grassroots”, in Fourth International Conference on Degrowth for Ecological Sustainability and Social Equity, Leipzig, 2014.PDF icon Bapt.pdf (227.61 KB)
stefano bartolini, “GREAT RECESSION AND U.S. CONSUMERS’ BULIMIA: DEEP CAUSES AND POSSIBLE WAYS OUT”, in Fourth International Conference on Degrowth for Ecological Sustainability and Social Equity, Leipzig, 2014.PDF icon 3406.pdf (437.88 KB)
stefano bartolini, “Do people care for a sustainable future? Evidence from happiness data.”, in Fourth International Conference on Degrowth for Ecological Sustainability and Social Equity, Leipzig, 2014.PDF icon 3409.pdf (311.7 KB)
stefano bartolini, “Happy for How Long? How Social Capital and GDP relate to happiness over time”, in Fourth International Conference on Degrowth for Ecological Sustainability and Social Equity, Leipzig, 2014.PDF icon 3365.pdf (365.62 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