A Rose Grower as an Economist
The term degrowth often meets with resistance, as if it were advocating less prosperity, less progress, or a lower quality of life.
That is why I prefer the metaphor of the rose grower.
A skilled rose grower does not prune rose bushes to make them smaller, but to make them stronger and encourage them to produce more abundant blooms. He removes the branches that bear no flowers and merely consume valuable energy. As a result, the plant can direct its strength toward what truly matters.
Our economy deserves the same kind of care.
Over the years, countless activities have emerged that contribute little to our well-being while consuming raw materials, energy, labour, and capital. They do not make our society happier, healthier, or more sustainable. On the contrary, they place an increasing burden on both people and the planet.
The challenge, therefore, is not to shrink the economy but to prune it wisely. Less waste. Less unnecessary consumption. Fewer activities that mainly cause harm. More room for what truly matters: health, education, culture, nature, science, care, and a livable future for the generations to come.
A well-pruned rose bush produces more abundant blossoms.
The same is true of a well-pruned economy.
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