Most countries in the Global North have adopted an economic system that depends on the extraction of fossil fuels and leads to the accumulation of wealth by a few large corporations. When we move to a post-growth system, the principle is sufficiency rather than efficiency. The following table shows the difference between the two systems.
When it comes ‘economic growth’, here is an interesting quote by Donella Meadows:
Growth is one of the stupidest purposes ever invented by any culture. We’ve got to have an enough always ask growth of what, and why and for whom and who pays the cost, and how long can it last? And what’s the cost of the planet to the planet and how much is enough?
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how much is enough? …There’s never enough because we are greedy. We always want more and it doesn’t matter if we destroy the only planet that we can call home. We have everything but we don’t have the basic needs pure air, clean water, proper food without pesticides etc. We are killing ourselves and still don’t take the necessary actions because we are greedy! Period
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When discussing the issue of economic growth, it is worth distinguishing between countries of the Global South and the Global North. Many economies of the Global South still need to grow in order for everyone to meet their basic needs, while the economies of the Global North have already grown beyond the point of sustainability.
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