Book Review: Post Growth: Life after Capitalism
by Tim Jackson
In this book, Tim Jackson provides a compelling explanation of how Capitalism requires an infinite trajectory of growth that is demonstrably impossible, while also providing a tangible alternative road map of how to prosper in a post growth economy. Beyond the established damning critiques of Capitalism, such as obscene inequality, unjustifiable extraction and poverty, and documented life threatening damage to the ecosystem, Jackson harvests wisdom from respected philosophers in history to develop a compass that points the way out of our failing oligarchic dystopia.
Jackson highlights the futile efforts of players in the Capitalist system to sustain the unsustainable. To achieve the growth required to sustain Capitalism, consumers must continually purchase new products—it makes no difference whether or not they need those products. To this end, marketers and advertisers go to extensive lengths to get people to first feel unsatisfied with their current condition and then to seek satisfaction through the purchase of an unending chain of new products. For this system to work, the consumers must first believe that the new products marketed will satisfy their artificially conjured cravings—then these same consumers must quickly feel unsatisfied with their new condition and continually purchase new material things that are promised to satisfy but deliberately designed to not satisfy consumers’ cravings so they will continually purchase more through an infinite timeline. These mind games and manipulation of emotion must stop.
Jackson places these observations in context by drawing on respected historical philosophers such as John Stuart Mill and John Maynard Keynes, who envisioned a time when production and consumption were not the main reasons for being. The point is that true satisfaction is gained—after essential needs of food, shelter, and security are met—through means other than accumulation of material things. Jackson names factors of what he calls Flow as the essentials of a satisfying life such as physical sports, craft and creative activities, social interactions, romantic relationships, and contemplative practices such as meditation.
Capitalism knows nothing of the concept of enough is enough. How much food can you eat? How many houses can you live in? Is it worth denying others their essential subsistence? Jackson observes that socialism for the rich and austerity for the poor is the essence of Capitalism, including privatization of profits and the socialization of costs. As ecological investment is an absolute prerequisite for sustainable prosperity, real power fulfills its obligations, which is something extractive Capitalism is designed not to do. Jackson points out that reciprocity is the cornerstone of society—before and after Capitalism finally falls, that human reciprocity in altruistic exchange is an excellent goal for all to pursue.