Limit growth: liberate degrowth

by Vincent Liegey and Anitra Nelson, openDemocracy

Degrowth stands for quality of life within planetary limits. This is the real opposite of capitalist growth.

Degrowth is to growth as quality is to quantity, totally different. Growth is pure quantity: it is quality neutral. It is only because we live in a capitalist society where having more money is associated with a better quality of life that such confusion arises — so, degrowth is confused with lack, poverty and austerity. In reality degrowth stands for quality of life within planetary limits. This is the real opposite of capitalist growth.