The Myth of Growth

In terms of GDP, a country is doing well when it produces and consumes more. That’s all. It doesn’t matter whether people’s lives improve, whether the air becomes unbreathable, or whether rivers run dry.

Degrowth challenges that idea.

The term “degrowth” (décroissance, in French) was coined in 1972, when political philosopher André Gorz first used it at an international conference in Paris.

His question was straightforward: Can economic growth continue indefinitely on a finite planet?

Degrowth emerged as a critique of the industrial capitalist model.

Its basic premise is this: we cannot grow indefinitely on a planet with limited resources.

That is why it proposes that we stop measuring progress solely by GDP growth and start asking what is being produced, for whom, and at what cost.

That kind of growth tends to lead to greater inequality, because the wealth it generates is not distributed fairly. It also destroys ecosystems and depletes natural resources that cannot be replenished at the rate at which they are consumed.

And even so, it doesn’t always improve people’s lives: more is produced, but people don’t necessarily live better.

Growth isn't about making anyone poorer.

It means redistributing work, time, and resources so that everyone can live well, without destroying the planet.

Those who have the most and consume the most are the ones who should cut back the most. Those who can't make ends meet today need exactly the opposite.

Rethinking the economy isn’t just about consuming less. It’s about changing what is produced and how we live: ensuring that what breaks can be fixed, that essential goods are produced close to where they’re needed, and that health, education, and care are rights—not businesses.

Fewer hours spent on meaningless production, more time for what sustains life.

In Latin America, growth was celebrated for decades as synonymous with development. But its benefits almost never reached those who lived where the resources were extracted.

Mines, monoculture farms, and megaprojects left rivers polluted and communities displaced, while the profits went elsewhere.

The question is not just how much growth there is, but who benefits and who bears the consequences.

The goal is not to accumulate more.

It is a good, dignified, and sustainable life for everyone.

Share and join us.