The Economics Debate: Growth, Sustainability, and Degrowth

The assumption that continuous economic growth is necessary drives global policy, yet many question its long-term viability. Start challenging conventional economic wisdom by exploring the limits of growth and the need for new paradigms. This course equips you with the critical frameworks needed to understand the foundational arguments for and against perpetual economic expansion. You will gain the vocabulary and theoretical knowledge to discuss alternative economic models, such as degrowth, steady-state economics, and circular systems, and analyze their real-world policy implications. What you'll learn: * Understand the historical and theoretical foundations of economic growth and its primary metrics like GDP. * Analyze the environmental and social critiques of continuous growth, including planetary boundaries and inequality. * Master the core concepts of degrowth, including its goals, policy proposals, and socio-economic implications. * Compare and contrast traditional growth metrics with modern well-being indicators (e.g., Genuine Progress Indicator). * Apply critical thinking to evaluate policy proposals related to steady-state economics and circular resource management. The course begins by defining classical growth theory and its history, then systematically introduces the arguments for degrowth. Later sections focus on analyzing specific policy tools and frameworks used to transition toward post-growth societies. This course is designed for absolute beginners in economics, policy, and sustainability who want to understand the foundational debate shaping the future of global economies. No prior knowledge of economic theory is required. Start reading today to reshape your understanding of economic possibility.