Many countries have experienced a decline of economic growth for decades, an effect that was only aggravated by the recent global financial crisis. What if in the 21st century this is no longer an exception, but the general rule? Does an economy without growth necessarily bring hardship and crises, as is often assumed? Or could it be a chance for a better life? Authors have long argued that money added to an income that already secures basic needs no longer enhances well-being. Also, ecological constraints and a sinking global absorption capacity increasingly reduce the margin of profitability on investments. Efforts to restore growth politically, however, often lead to reduced levels of social protection, reduced ecological and health standards, unfair tax burdens and rising inequalities. Thus it is time to dissolve the link between economic growth and the good life. This book argues that a good life beyond growth is not only possible, but highly desirable. It conceptualizes "the good life" as a fulfilled life that is embedded in social relations and at peace with nature, independent of a mounting availability of resources. In bringing together experts from different fields, this book opens an interdisciplinary discussion that has often been restricted to separate disciplines. Philosophers, sociologists, economists and activists come together to discuss the political and social conditions of a good life in societies which no longer rely on economic growth and no longer call for an ever expanding circle of extraction, consumption, pollution, waste, conflict, and psychological burnout.Read together, these essays will have a major impact on the debates about economic growth, economic and ecological justice, and the good life in times of crisis.
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More and more people believe there must be a path to a good life beyond growth. But how do the economic crisis and the vision of a post-growth-society change the debate about the good life? This volume addresses the complex relations between the crisis of the growth paradigm and conceptions of the good life.
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List of Figures and TablesList of ContributorsIntroductionHartmut Rosa & Christoph HenningI Foundations: Alternative Conceptions of the Good Life 1 The Misadventures of the Good Life between Modernity and Degrowth: From Happiness to Buen VivirSerge Latouche 2 Buen Vivir: A Proposal with Global PotentialAlberto Acosta3 Available, Accessible, Attainable. The Mindset of Growth and the Resonance Conception of the Good LifeHartmut Rosa 4 Resonance and the Romantic era: A Comment on Rosa’s Conception of the Good lifeCharles TaylorII Beyond the Growth Paradigm: Alternative Conceptions of the Economic5 A Philosophy of Ecological EconomicsManfred-Max Neef6 Productivity, Property, and Violence: A Critique of liberal justifications of GrowthChristoph Henning7 Growth regimes and visions of the good life: Why capitalism will not deliverDennis Eversberg8 Political Economic Conditions of a Good Life beyond GrowthAndrew SayerIII The Good Society: Alternative Conceptions of Social Justice and Wellbeing9 The Common Good as a Principle of Social Justice Michael J. Thompson10 Bread and Roses. ‘Good work’ from a Union PerspectiveNicole Mayer-Ahuja 11 Income Distribution for a Sane SocietyPhilippe Van Parijs & Yannik Vanderborght12 How not to argue against Growth: Happiness, Austerity and InequalityJohn O'NeillIV Subjects beyond Growth: Changing Practices13 Happiness, the Common Good, and Volunteer Work Bettina Hollstein14 Is Love still a Part of the Good Life? Eva Illouz15 Empowering Ourselves in the Transformation to a Good Life beyond GrowthFelix Rauschmayer16 Subjective Limits to Growth and the Limits to a Life-Style Oriented Critique of GrowthStefanie GraefeV One World without Growth: Alternative Conceptions of the Political17 The Good life of Nations: A Global Perspective Martin Fritz & Max Koch18 Cultures of Wellbeing in the South: Lessons to learnSarah White19 Europe, Capitalist Landnahme and the Economic-Ecological Double Crisis: Prospects for a Non-Capitalist Post-Growth SocietyKlaus Doerre20 Toward radical Alternatives to DevelopmentAshish KothariIndex
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'The book offers a distinct approach to the issue of growth, in which it may contribute to a significant transformation of the debate on (de)growth. In so doing, perhaps, it may then aid in the task of reshaping the political categories of modern liberalism itself.' Oscar Kruger, Environmental Values‘This book will inspire a much needed international debate on redefining well-being and re-thinking the economy.’ — Andreas Novy, head of the Institute of Multi-Level Governance and Development, Vienna University of Economics and Business, Italy
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Produktdetaljer

ISBN
9781138687882
Publisert
2017-08-15
Utgiver
Vendor
Routledge
Vekt
544 gr
Høyde
234 mm
Bredde
156 mm
Aldersnivå
U, 05
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Innbundet
Antall sider
270

Biographical note

Hartmut Rosa is Professor of Sociology at the University of Jena, Co-director of the Kolleg Postwachstumsgesellschaften in Jena (with Klaus Dörre) and Director of the Max Weber Centre for Advanced Cultural and Social Studies at the University of Erfurt. Christoph Henning is Junior Fellow for Philosophy at the Max-Weber-Kolleg for advanced Cultural and Social Studies, University of Erfurt, Germany.