01467nas a2200109   4500008004100000245010400041210006900145260001200214520103800226100002401264856006901288       2014                        eng d00aAccountability, Democracy, and Post-growth: Civil Society Rethinking Political Economy and Finance.0 aAccountability Democracy and Postgrowth Civil Society Rethinking  aLeipzig3 a<p>Since the fall of the investment bank Lehman Brothers, the economic downturn has taken a heavy tool on many countries, while the spotlight is on the role of political elites and financial actors. The actual and potential role of civil society is hardly mentioned in public debate. Yet, it is within civil society than an alternative paradigm and a fundamental rethinking of conventional wisdom may be fostered. In this session we present three ways to frame the crisis and the role of civil society: reinforcing public accountability, regaining democracy and building resilience. The ultimate goal of this analytical exercise is to investigate the potentially transformative role of civil society in a sector in which it has traditionally been less proactive, in order to reflect on possible forms of social change. KEY WORDS: Economic crisis, civil society, social change, accountability, degrowth This paper is part of the Special Session: Citizens vs Markets: How Civil Society is Rethinking the Economy in a Time of Crises</p>1 aFioramonti, Lorenzo  uhttps://degrowth.community/conference2014/scientific-papers/324001136nas a2200109   4500008004100000245008100041210006900122260001200191520073000203100002400933856006900957       2014                        eng d00aGross Domestic Problem: The Politics Behind the World's Most Powerful Number0 aGross Domestic Problem The Politics Behind the Worlds Most Power  aLeipzig3 a<p>The history of GDP is that of the quest for power that continues to affect our political life nowadays. It was initially employed as 'war machine' in the Second World War and then used as a propaganda device during the bipolar rivalry between capitalism and the Soviet empire. At the political level, the power of GDP has impoverished democracy by glorifying the role of technocrats and business, turning politics into a matter for experts. This paper recounts the history of GDP to show its intimate connection with the power struggle of the 20th century. Keywords: GDP; power; war; markets; economists; globalization. This paper is part of the Special Session "Degrowth and History. Economics, Sustainability, Power"</p>1 aFioramonti, Lorenzo  uhttps://degrowth.community/conference2014/scientific-papers/3239