Economic growth dependencies and imperatives: A review of key theories and their conflicts
系统综述248篇文献,识别出112种经济增长依赖机制,分析理论冲突源于对货币经济、市场竞争等基本社会结构中立性的不同看法,对研究经济增长与可持续性关系的学者有参考价值。
Despite evidence indicating that sustainability cannot be achieved without overcoming the economic growth paradigm, current societies continue to pursue destructive growth pathways. Theories on economic growth dependencies and imperatives (GDI) provide explanations for this behaviour by describing mechanisms that cause negative consequences for agents under conditions of zero economic growth. However, conflicting theories exist, impeding concerted efforts to make societal wellbeing independent from economic growth. To address this challenge, we provide a systematic review of 248 publications covering key theories of GDI. The review identifies 112 mechanisms, sorted into 21 clusters and six themes. We provide synthetic conceptual accounts of the diverse dimensions of GDI for each mechanism, such as how harm occurs without growth. We find that GDI mechanisms are more numerous and heterogeneous than previously thought. The analysis of conflicts between the theories shows that disagreements emerge from contradictory perceptions of the neutrality of fundamental social structures. These structures include the monetary economy, market competition, private property and the state. Furthermore, conflicts centre the specific roles of ideology, knowledge and culture. The findings of this comprehensive review highlight the importance of further theoretical and empirical research that deepens our understanding of GDI. • A lack of comprehensive literature reviews on theories of growth dependencies exists. • We cover 248 publications yielding 112 mechanisms in 21 clusters and six themes. • Mechanisms are more numerous and heterogeneous than previously thought. • Conflicts concern the neutrality of fundamental social structures, e.g. private property. • Conflicts also concern the roles of ideology, knowledge and culture.