Green republican political economy: Towards the liberation from economic growth and work as disutility

In: Barry , J 2020 , ' Green republican political economy: Towards the liberation from economic growth and work as disutility ' , The Ecological Citizen , vol. 3 , no. B , pp. 67-76 .

Abstract

This article focuses on green non-ecological critiques of orthodox economic growth and offers a distinctive green republican political economy argument in favour of democratising production as part of the 'just transition' to a sustainable, regenerative economy. Democratising production could, by enabling the realisation of some of the internal goods of work, reduce ecologically damaging orthodox economic growth. The article then proceeds to critically analyse the dominant conception of 'work as disutility' within both the history of modern political economy and more importantly within neoclassical economics. This (mis)conception of work is one that both neglects to recognise the internal values of work, frames a 'productivist and growth' oriented view of human labour which is used to justify 'despotic' workplace management practices. Hence liberating the macro economy from the imperative of endless growth, and at the micro economic/workplace level liberating production from capitalist productivity, could simultaneously enhance human freedom and flourishing and ecological sustainability.