Source: Center for a Stateless Society
by Kevin Carson
“Although most degrowthers are not as clear on the matter as they could be, the prevailing idea of degrowth is not a reduction in material living standards, but an end to growth in GDP and in ecological footprints (i.e. the consumption of material inputs) — the two of which are linked. GDP is a metric of the total exchange-value of all goods and services produced; other than embedded rents from artificial scarcities like intellectual property, the exchange value of goods and services is primarily a measure of the total cost of inputs. So the idea of infinite growth resulting entirely from expansion of exchange-value, with no increase in material resources consumed, is inconsistent with reality unless a major part of GDP consists of unearned monopoly rents.” (08/11/25)