We can’t fully protect nature and the environment if we don’t eliminate the growth compulsion of the economy.
To find ways out of the growth compulsion, you first have to understand where this growth compulsion even comes from.
The growth compulsion has its cause in the fact that production is based on capital (that’s why it’s called “capitalism”). An entrepreneur or investor puts money into production with the goal of getting more money back. This isn’t the personal greed of the “capitalist”, but follows a simple, compelling logic: no one would invest 1 million euros if they only got exactly 1 million euros back. That makes no sense. Investments only make sense if they generate profit, i.e. if the money supply grows. For the money supply to grow, production must basically grow as well.
There’s another very practical reason why entrepreneurs can’t do without profit: sooner or later they have to renew their means of production, e.g. their machines. Otherwise other companies that produce cheaper with newer equipment would overtake them. But they can only invest in new equipment if money is left over and can be saved beforehand. To fill this reserve fund, the entrepreneur needs the surplus value that comes from growth.
So the growth compulsion doesn’t come from the selfishness of entrepreneurs. But the growth compulsion also isn’t solely due to interest. Even if there were no interest at all (and no banks), the entrepreneur would still have to make a profit for the reasons mentioned, i.e. create growth.
That’s why you can’t overcome the growth compulsion either by talking nicely to entrepreneurs or by abolishing interest. But only through a different economic system that doesn’t rely on the use of capital. Such an economic system is fundamentally possible. Capitalism has only existed for 300 years, so it’s not a law of nature.
https://www.gutefrage.net/frage/stimmt-das-165#comment-494871788
In the short term work should pay off. In the long term redistribution should take place, that is my idea, whoever hoards a lot of money and has it must be taxed higher per percent.