Grenzen des Wachstums – Ausarbeitung zur Demokratischen Betriebstruktur
von Robert Bingener, Matrikelnummer: 32211676
Die demokratische Betriebsstruktur ist einem Parlament gleichzusetzen. Wie der Abgeordnete ist der Arbeitnehmer im Betrieb stimmberechtigtes Mitglied. Es gibt keinen Betriebschef, die Verantwortung lastet nicht auf den Schultern des Vorstandes oder des Aufsichtsrates oder der Betriebsleitung, alle Entscheidungen werden von allen Arbeitnehmern getroffen.
1. Bioökonomie (+)
Hier ist nicht das Lebende ökonomisch, hier wird Ökonomisches lebendig. Ein von Menschen praktiziertes Gedankenkonstrukt, in dem es normalerweise eine Hierarchie gibt, die dem Mittelalter nahe kommt (König = Betriebschef mit Macht, Verantwortung überschüssigem Gewinn in der eigenen Tasche. Rechtlose Bürger = Arbeitnehmer, über die der Betriebschef bestimmen kann: Sie werden nach seinen Wünschen eingestellt, bezahlt und aus dem Betrieb entfernt.), wird durch die demokratische Einbindung der Arbeitnehmer lebendig. Der Betriebsrat und Gewerkschaften sind schon heute einige Demokratisierungen, doch verleiht das den Arbeitnehmern, den Mitarbeitern noch keine demokratische Macht. Durch die demokratische Betriebsstruktur wird der Betrieb lebendig, er bekommt eine eigene Dynamik.
2. Ökologie (0)
Das ist eigentlich kein ökologisches Thema, aber ein zwischenmenschliches: Es findet weniger Wettbewerb zwischen den wirtschaftlichen Akteuren statt, da die Arbeitnehmer ganz normale Menschen ohne den Geldhunger von Aufsichträten oder Managern sind, sie möchten das beste für den eigenen Betrieb, haben aber vermutlich eher die Arbeitnehmer der Konkurrenz im Blick als ein Vorstandschef und möchten Arbeitsplatzvernichtung vermeiden, da die Zielrichtung nicht die Geldvermehrung ist. Das erwirtschaftete Kapital gehört keiner Privatperson, sondern nur dem Betrieb, es darf nur betriebsintern ausgegeben werden, entweder zur Reinvestition oder zur Lohnsteigerung. Wenn der Betrieb demokratisch beschließt, einem anderen Betrieb, der in einer finanziellen Notlage steckt, mit Betriebsmittel zu helfen, so ist auch das zulässig, solange es demokratisch so entschieden wurde.
3. Anti-Utilitarismus (++)
Der Anti-Utilitarismus ist (ins deutsche übersetzt) ökonomische Solidarität, das Gegenstück zum Utilitarismus, der rein auf den Nutzen schaut, obwohl man den Nutzen, um den es hier geht, nicht weiter definiert, denn es stellt einen Nutzen dar, sich solidarisch zu verhalten.
Eine demokratischer Betriebsstruktur ist ökonomische Solidarität schlechthin, denn es berechtigt die Arbeitnehmer zugleich Arbeitgeber zu sein, denn sie entscheiden, ob sie neue Mitarbeiter benötigen, als Arbeitnehmer wird auch die Sicht auf den Arbeitgeber ins Positive verkehrt: Da man ins Organisatorische involviert ist, entscheidet das Kollektiv (also man selbst), ob Arbeitsplätze abgebaut werden sollen oder ob man sie hält. Da man über den eigenen Arbeitsplatz entscheidet, dürfte die Zielsetzung klar sein, nämlich dass man Arbeitsplätze erhält, und zwar langfristig. So gäbe es auch in einer Krise/Rezession einen deutlich geringeren Anstieg der Arbeitslosenzahlen. Da man so gerecht bezahlt wie möglich, haben die Menschen, die in einem demokratischen Arbeitsverhältnis leben, ein deutlich höheres Einkommen, es gäbe eine stärkere Mittel- und Unterschicht, denn im Betrieb können auch Programme organisiert werden, z.B. zur Rückführung von Langzeitarbeitslosen in ein Beschäftigungsverhältnis. Einem solchen Unternehmen würden keine Reiche „entspringen“, die die Umverteilung behinderten. So wäre die anti-utilitaristische Idee einer demokratischen Betriebsstruktur also auch utilitaristisch, denn sie nützt der Gesellschaft viel mehr als ein Betrieb oder ein Unternehmen, das nur an sich denkt. Außerdem ist man, wenn man auch Arbeitgeber ist, zu viel mehr Dingen fähig als nur zu dem, was man im Job macht, also bereichert das die eigenen Fähigkeiten und Qualitäten.
4. Der Sinn des Lebens (++)
Die einfache Einteilung von heute, Arbeit=schlecht und anstrengend; Freizeit= gut und erfüllend würde abgelöst, denn ich kann mir vorstellen, dass viele Menschen viel lieber arbeiten, wenn sie wirken und wenn sie wissen wofür, und nicht nur für den Markt oder die Quote im Paketdienst oder die nächsten Millionen-Mangerboni arbeiten. Denn dann arbeite ich direkt und indirekt für mich und meine Familie, den Erhalt meines und anderer Arbeitsplätze. Man könnte weniger arbeiten, vielleicht auch mit einer Halbzeitstelle gut auskommen, die andere Hälfte der Woche oder des Tages arbeitet jemand anderes, man hätte mehr Zeit für die Dinge, für die man heute gerne mehr Zeit hätte, doch man ist entweder auf der Arbeit oder zu erledigt, um das zu tun. Es würde die generelle Lebensqualität steigern und man wäre in der Tat sein eigener Chef.
5. Gerechtigkeit (++)
Da in der demokratischen Betriebsstruktur die Verantwortung und die Arbeit gerecht verteilt ist, macht es nur Sinn, wenn auch der erwirtschaftete Gewinn von den im Betrieb Arbeitenden unter ihnen selbst ebenfalls gerecht verteilt wird, ob gerecht nun heißt, dass alle dasselbe Gehalt bekommen, oder jene Mitarbeiter mit schwierigeren oder riskanteren Jobs im Unternehmen mehr, wie viel Praktikanten und Auszubildende gezahlt bekommen, wird entschieden werden. Auch wird diskutiert, ob Praktikanten und Auszubildende Stimmberechtigung haben, die von zwei Wochen bis zu drei oder fünf Jahren im Betrieb arbeiten.
6. Demokratie (++)
Nach der politischen Demokratisierung, die auch noch einer weiteren Demokratisierung bedarf, ist die wirtschaftliche Demokratisierung eigentlich sehr viel einfacher durchzusetzen, da sie kleiner, also mit weniger Menschen, funktioniert und weniger Interessen vereint werden müssen. Doch der Staat kann nur begrenzt in die privaten Betriebe und Unternehmen eingreifen, um die demokratische Betriebsstruktur zu ermöglichen, von der in der Politik kein einziger Politiker spricht. Es wäre möglich, Rahmenbedingungen zu schaffen, die Konzernen oder Unternehmen, die sich demokratisch organisieren, finanzielle oder rechtliche Vorteile versprechen. Dieses Modell könnte man auch in die politische Demokratie versuchen einzubauen, wenn es in der Wirtschaft Erfolg hat.
Technology and Production
The following are the results of the GAP at the Degrowth Conference 2010 in Barcelona that are particularly relevant for this working group.
The document first presents a summary, including links to other working groups (in bold & italic), and then the complete results of those Barcelona working groups with some relations to the current one.
Summary
A selective moratorium on technologies is proposed, based on their potential risks, benefits and impacts. We need at least some limits to market and profit-driven technology and innovation (e.g. internet, antibiotics, nanotechnology, genetic engineering, space travel). (infrastructure, certain type of infrastructure should be banned)
Taking into account the values of all stakeholders (democracy), the criteria for identifying the limits would be based on (indicators):
a. the degree of locality concerning resources, innovation and decision making (trade)
b. the scale in use of the technology and its the supporting infrastructure. (infrastructure, social economy)
c. the required inputs and outputs of the technology:
(environmental, monetary, energetic, etc.)
The results should be disseminated for independent and wide review. (democracy) while promoting people engagement to ratify or abrogate moratoriums (political strategies) and promoting public awareness (education, political strategies).
We need alternatives in the form of local and small scale with low start up capital and other barriers to entry (e.g. permaculture, agroecology and various social technologies).
Research is needed on the driver of innovation, or on whether socially and environmentally beneficial technologies can be developed and spread in a non-profit seeking context and way.
Working Groups from 2010 GAP in Barcelona with some connections
New technologies
A selective moratorium based on potential risks, benefits and impacts.
Research questions:
- Identify criteria (encompassing values of stakeholders) for systematically assessment, e.g. :
a. Degree of locality concerning resources, innovation and decision making
b. Scale in use of the technology and the scale of the supporting infrastructure.
c. Required inputs and outputs of the technology (environmental, monetary, energetic, etc).
- Disseminate the results of the inquiry for independent and wide review.
- Promote public awareness of core issues.
- To promote people’s engagement to ratify or abrogate such moratorium.
Politics of New Technologies:
New and current institutions to achieve buy-in from the broader community (including scientists and technologists). Ideological separation:
Technology and innovation not driven by the market could lead technological progress. For example local and small scale with low start up capital and other barriers to entry (e.g. ppermaculture, agroecology and various social technologies).
Technology and innovation, irrevocably entwined with markets and commercial prospects. The very need to service markets drives technology and innovation (e.g. internet, antibiotics, Genomic engineering, Space travel)
Open question:
The question remained about how the de-growth movement can manage sustainable coexistence of commercial interests without compromising the social and environmental interests in fostering innovation and technology. How should rights on knowledge be managed in this case?
Moratoria on new infrastructures
Proposals:
Eliminate/nationalise mega-construction companies (due to their levels of debt) that drive the building of infrastructure projects as ends in themselves.
Some infrastructure projects must clearly be abandoned: Nuclear, ammonia production, incinerators, high speed train and large scale dams.
Some infrastructure must be limited: highways, long distance transportation and airports.
At the same time, transformation of some existing infrastructure must be promoted: smaller more compact cities, converting car based infrastructure to walking and cycling and open common space.
Research questions:
Research the full life-cycle impacts and components of infrastructure materials.
Activities:
Support social campaigns that change the imaginary of people regarding the need to travel, long distance travel, levels of consumption and production and dependence on infrastructure.
Support communities that fight large infrastructure projects.
Zero waste
Core points:
Responsibility to be shared in the individual, social, productive and political arena
Proximity: production, treatment and final disposal of different wastes as local as possible
Incentives, especially taxes as economic tools in the des-incentive of waste generation. However, reduction of waste can not be managed just with economic instruments
Education of all social actors in order to make close not just impacts of products and kinds of treatments, but also the positive implications that zero waste initiatives have in relation to quality of life.
Ecodesign and Cradle to Cradle, important role in the change of perspective of the waste in reuse sense.
Political proposals:
Promotion of legal instruments to reduce waste such us taxation (on materials, in the production process) and Deposit and Refund systems enlarged to as much as possible
Use of advertising expertise for education in reuse and reduction
Facilitation of sharing good experiences to link good practices and good quality of life
Encouragement of cooperative sharing to promote community based recycling and reuse methods
Incorporation of proximity in waste regulations as a core principle
Research questions:
Creation of an international network of agencies for life cycle analysis and waste prevention
Disagreement:
Role to be played by corporations and private sector and how much the solutions are to be looked for in the technological and/or in the social arena
Degrowth in water consumption
“Reapropiation of commons”: returning to public ownership and management of superficial, groundwater and desalted water at municipal level (if possible) avoiding to consider it as a commodity
Domestic tariff systems with basic threshold for free lifeline and quota up to a ceiling threshold, established in physical blocks terms and per day per person. Heavy industrial tariff to physical parameters and thresholds
Labelling Virtual water content (full life cycle) on all products: water points credit card
Degrowth in water consumption is tightly related to land use planning: non-industrial agroecological approach to agrarian land and food soverignity; stop new irrigation plans and water transfer and big supply infrastructures; stop urban sprawl
Downscaling to local sources management which enable people's empowerment: public fountains of free drink water as a symbol against fetishism of bottled water; democratic control on economy; living the river and its ecosystems; building a new water culture starting from water as life
In conclusion, accelerate degrowth and downshift your lifestyle
Basic income
The following are the results of the GAP at the Degrowth Conference 2010 in Barcelona that are particularly relevant for this working group.
The document first presents a summary, including links to other Barcelona working groups (in bold & italic), and then the complete results of those Barcelona working groups with some relations to the current one.
Summary
A ceiling on the level of income (implying a 100% tax above certain level of income) in needed, as well a basic income (nature resources, water, housing/sharing, agriculture – minimum access to and maximum use of resources).
The maximum ratio, between the minimum level of income and the income ceiling, within both society and companies, should be democratically decided (democracy, social economy, human nature - in relation to attaining social status, in the absence of high income).
A progressive tax on income, property or natural resource use is proposed to finance basic income. Basic income can be in provided in the form of local currency, specific products and services like housing or health (social security). (political strategies, related to the feasibility of gathering sufficient political support for basic income.) There is a need to develop risk sharing systems for saving and financing for the transition. Pensions can be financed by green taxes.
Research on world basic income is needed as a viable alternative to development aid (environmental justice). Social science research on basic income and its experience is proposed (human nature).
Working Groups from 2010 GAP in Barcelona with some connections:
Basic income and income ceiling
Basic income for all
Research Themes/Questions:
Comparisons between BI and a negative income tax plus a social welfare state to inform public opinion. That is, not only from a monetary-based approach, but also from a moral perspective.
Will economic degrowth provide sufficient means to finance a BI institution in the long-run?
Can a BI institution be a viable and fruitful alternative to development aid?
How has human psychology, values, and moral ideas played a role in preventing the application of a BI system in the past? What psychological insights can be derived from human populations where BI as an institution has been applied?
Issues needing further attention
In order to finance BI sustainably a tax-based approach should be implemented progressively on income rate, rent or ownership, natural resource use, and consumption.
Is a basic income preferred to a guaranteed-job-offer? Should local currencies, or product-specific vouchers play an important role in the making-up of a basic income-rent?
How to implement BI at a political level; in particular taking into account voter participation in political processes.
What are the links between a society of employment and a society addicted to consumption?
Income Ceiling
IC is on the political agenda in Europe now.
Measures to redistribute income & wealth and measures to give equal access to environmental services are compatible and, in fact, they should go together.
Proposals on IC:
Minimum-maximum ratio
Ratio within companies
New ways on attaining social status (in the absence of high incomes) should be found
Social security and pensions
Proposals for the transition
Need to develop risk sharing systems for saving and financing for the transition
Progressive taxation system focused on income (above maximun income 100% tax) and green taxes for increased pension funding as is required
Proposals final aim
Happiness of people
An equalitarian society where social security is not needed i.e. everybody can satisfiy their basic needs with basic income (basic income is not necessarily money)
Work-sharing
Research questions
Relationship between labor productivity and reduced resource use?
How can we achieve changing recognition of different kinds of paid work and unpaid work?
What is the definition of work in a degrowth society?
Reflections on barriers to lower working hours from other elements of degrowth
Debt Consumerism Low incomes
Access to the conditions for a good life
What is the aim of work in a degrowth society?
Relationship between a basic income and reduced working hours
Research that can recognize the value and contribution of the core economy (unpaid, household work) in our current economy
Political proposals
Tax reform / Tax on resources, not labor / A more progressive income tax, with a larger tax-free threshold
Incentives to encourage companies to enable work sharing and part-time work
Other uses of taxes
Need to provide accessible childcare, including at conferences like these!
Legislation that supports co-housing
Need to reduce the power of financial capital
Focus on gender issues, including the equality of pay for genders
Transport and Mobility
The following are the results of the GAP at the Degrowth Conference 2010 in Barcelona that are particularly relevant for this working group
The document first presents a summary, including links to other working groups (in red & capital), and then the complete results of those Barcelona working groups with some relations the current one
Summary:
Some infrastructure projects (nuclear-based production, incinerators, high-speed trains and large scale dams) should be abandoned, while others (highways, ammonia-based production and airports) should be drastically limited. Reduce and eliminate production infrastructure of toxic chemicals. Reduce the transport infra-structure and make it more collective.
Companies that build or use infrastructure which are currently indebted, such as building and transportation companies, should be closed with state support and support for their workers should be provided.
Foster policies, incorporating a multi-criteria evaluation to have an energy system with the highest EROI and the lowest environmental impact and material throughput with least transport distance (trade, social metabolism, indicators)
Working Groups from 2010 GAP in Barcelona with some connections:
Moratoria on new infrastructures
Proposals
Eliminate/nationalise mega-construction companies (due to their levels of debt) that drive the building of infrastructure projects as ends in themselves.
Some infrastructure projects must clearly be abandoned: Nuclear, ammonia production, incinerators, high speed train and large scale dams.
Some infrastructure must be limited: highways, long distance transportation and airports.
At the same time, transformation of some existing infrastructure must be promoted: smaller more compact cities, converting car based infrastructure to walking and cycling and open common space.
Research questions
Research the full life-cycle impacts and components of infrastructure materials.
Activities
Support social campaigns that change the imaginary of people regarding the need to travel, long distance travel, levels of consumption and production and dependence on infrastructure.
Support communities that fight large infrastructure projects.
Cities and degrowth
Key research proposals
How does the decentralisation of political power in the city relate to bottom-up processes and the degrowth agenda? (address concerns of concentration of power and democracy)
How does the ‘right to the city’ (Henri Lefebvre) connect to the degrowth agenda? (the right of all urban dwellers to take part in the production of the city, transforming social, political and economic relations in urban spaces)
Key political proposals
Reshape and reform current cities instead of building (eco)cities and (eco)neighbourhoods from scratch.
Relocalise urban life with multifunctionality (public space as a commons) in mind
Other research proposals
Why isn’t there planning by people vs. planning for people? How do you get people to plan for themselves? Barriers, preconditions and counterforces to encourage planning by people (users) and not only for people (consumers)
How do we degrade the car as an urban transportation mode through taxes?
How / what is the relationship between ecological urban development and gentrification?
How to build local social and ecological resilience in cities / bioregions
Other political proposals
Raise awareness on the need for the shift to degrowth cities
Develop and implement an ecological degrowth neighbourhood plan using a bottom up process (collectively decide what areas to remove, to recycle to preserve…)
Scale and distance as planning parameters
Make initiatives in the city that are already working on paradigm change visible to understand potential of cities as social-political space
Childhood
The following are the results of the GAP at the Degrowth Conference 2010 in Barcelona that are particularly relevant for this working group
The document first presents a summary, including links to other working groups (in bold & italic), and then the complete results of those Barcelona working groups with some relations to the current one
Summary
Incentives are needed to encourage companies to enable work sharing and part-time work (including provision of accessible childcare). Unpaid work needs to be shared (education, sharing/cohousing).
Advertising from public spaces should be limited and all ads that affect children/vulnerable people, health, involve CO2-intensive sectors, or have sexist messages should be regulated (human nature -dealing with needs, indicators). For the purpose bans, regulation and taxation of advertisement should be introduced.
The degrowth movement welcomes the conscious procreation, co-responsibility of the partners in child rearing (education).
Working Groups from 2010 GAP in Barcelona with some connections
Work-sharing
Research questions
Relationship between labor productivity and reduced resource use?
How can we achieve changing recognition of different kinds of paid work and unpaid work?
What is the definition of work in a degrowth society?
Reflections on barriers to lower working hours from other elements of degrowth
Debt Consumerism Low incomes
Access to the conditions for a good life
What is the aim of work in a degrowth society?
Relationship between a basic income and reduced working hours
Research that can recognize the value and contribution of the core economy (unpaid, household work) in our current economy
Political proposals
Tax reform / Tax on resources, not labor / A more progressive income tax, with a larger tax-free threshold
Incentives to encourage companies to enable work sharing and part-time work
Other uses of taxes
Need to provide accessible childcare, including at conferences like these!
Legislation that supports co-housing
Need to reduce the power of financial capital
Focus on gender issues, including the equality of pay for genders
How to deal with advertising
Advertising increases consumption by creating the illusion that people can satisfy their needs – real or imaginary - through products. It is wasteful and is driven by the competitive nature of the capitalist system.
To deal with advertising, we need a bottom-up and a top-down approach. Bottom-up focusses on changing people’s perception of advertising to recognise its manipulative nature. Top-down refers to government action to impose limits. More research is needed on freeing communications channels from advertising.
Bottom-up proposals:
Empower people to enable them to deconstruct advertising
Detox from the imagery of the consumption society
Community child protection from advertising
Debunking the myth of satisfying immaterial needs with material goods
Reduce inequality – inequality drives consumerism
Expose ubiquity of advertising
Expose exploitation of values in advertising
Direct action, ie subvertising
Top-down proposals:
Ban everything (all ads) possible from public space
Regulate everything (all ads) possible that affect kids/vulnerable people, health, CO2-intensive sectors, sexist messages, etc.
Advertising should be as expensive as possible, i.e. taxes, accounting standards, etc.
Research questions:
Do we need ombudsmen for advertising?
How to free the internet from advertising?
How to organise free communications financially? (i.e. What are the real costs of a newspaper?)
Participative/direct democracy
Research questions:
In a degrowth scenario, what ideas and practices of direct / participatory democracy are relevant for different scales of decision-making? Including with respect to different types of enterprises??
In a degrowth trajectory, what kind of incentives can / should be set to motivate people to participate in political activity and decision-making?
How can we ensure that existing participative decision-making arrangements are taken into account by existing institutional framework?
Proposals:
Create spaces and networks for enhanced participation in politics and decision-making (e.g. citizen juries)
We should de-commercialize / de-commodify politics
Increase critical and deliberative capacity by creating holistic spaces of education
Demography and degrowth
Proposals:
The degrowth movement advocates full reproductive rights taking into account environmental and social consequences for our own and other species
The degrowth movement welcomes the conscious procreation, co-responsiblity of the partners in child rearing
The degrowth movement opposes government coercion and opposes the incentives to increase the birthrate as seen in some countries
The degrowth movement welcomes the declining rate of population growth and peak population
Migration is not caused by overpopulation but primarily because of the extreme inequalities in the world. The degrowth movement supports the right to migrate and opposes the “lifeboat” ethics. Simultaneously, degrowth movement supports the shift to greater local resilience to reduce the need to migrate.
Research proposals:
When women are given the right to choose and when the appropriate health services exist, population rates tend to decline. Further research is required on this topic.
The viability and usefulness of alternative ways of living (ie. Nomadism) should be investigated.
Research on forms of cohabilitation, its relation to happiness and resource use is required.
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