The author develops the theory initiated by Karl Polanyi in his seminal book entitled The Great Transformation, which argues in favour of a “re-embedding of the economy in society”. Serge Latouche strives – following Castoriadis and Lefort – to go beyond this thesis by showing that degrowth is less economic than political and social, more “frugal and cultural” than material and financial. He denounces the excessive importance taken on by the neo-liberal economy founded in the 18th century and on the English enclosure movement denounced by Thomas More, then on the research of Hayek, Friedman and the Mont Pèlerin Society. He proposes a project for society based on sharing and living together. He criticises the “neo-libertarian narrative of growth”, by contrasting it with the “counter-narrative” of the “grand narrative of degrowth”, which is based on plans to develop common goods (resources and public services) and the common good (shared values). The aim of the project is to put an end to the failures of the state and the market economy.
The author notes that, despite the calls for vigilance from eco-socialists, the growth economy, which is based on “sad passions” such as “the thirst for wealth and power”, continues to prosper, in particular thanks to the “post-truth” maintained by AI. The author considers the most suitable political regime for initiating the degrowth project, and concludes that “direct and decentralised democracy” is preferable to a “plutocratic technocracy”, the former transforming society from below and the latter from above. He advocates “local action, the eco-region and the urban village”. He argues that the growth society destroys the common goods (natural resources) and the common good (the societal project and collective values), and that it is based on a one-dimensional man: homo economicus. He comments on the debates between the different schools of degrowth thought and criticises the fact that most eco-socialists call for the advent of degrowth through catastrophic discourses , such as those of the IPCC.
The reader of the book will better understand the themes and language codes of the degrowthers, but will also appreciate the impasses of some of their projects.
Serge Latouche is Professor Emeritus at the University of Saclay and author of numerous books and articles on the Social and Solidarity Economy.
Jean-Jacques Pluchart