My understanding is that degrowth is a movement not necessarily away from growth altogether, but tailoring growth or contraction to meet the needs of human and planetary well-being. For example, the things you mention, especially in the Global South, can raise standards of living. But it’s plain to me that in the Global North, we are already over-developed and extracting resources to create profit rather than to improve lives. I think we could contract the economy while making lives better, if only we could align our economic policies with the world’s real needs. I’d recommend checking out Kate Raworth’s Doughnut Economics, I find it to be a useful framework.
My understanding is that degrowth is a movement not necessarily away from growth altogether, but tailoring growth or contraction to meet the needs of human and planetary well-being. For example, the things you mention, especially in the Global South, can raise standards of living. But it’s plain to me that in the Global North, we are already over-developed and extracting resources to create profit rather than to improve lives. I think we could contract the economy while making lives better, if only we could align our economic policies with the world’s real needs. I’d recommend checking out Kate Raworth’s Doughnut Economics, I find it to be a useful framework.