Counter-Hegemonic Decision Premises in Commons-Based Peer Production: A Degrowth Case Study

Abstract

Capitalism is evidently the main cause of ecological degradation, climate change and social inequality. Degrowth as a counter-hegemony opposes the capitalist imperatives of economic growth and capital accumulation and radically seeks to transform society towards sustainability. This has strong political economic implications. Economic organisations and modes of production are essential in overcoming capitalist hegemony. This article investigates two commons-based peer production (CBPP) organisations in a qualitative case study by asking how they could align with degrowth counter-hegemony to help overcome capitalism. Social systems theory is used as an organisational lens to empirically research decision premises and their degrowth counter-hegemonic alignment. The results show that this alignment is possible in relatively small organisations. However, to help degrowth succeed, CBPP needs to be more widely adopted, for which larger organisations seem better equipped. Future studies focusing on the concept of scaling wide in CBPP networks in the context of degrowth counter-hegemony are suggested.

Transitioning to Reduced Inequalities

“…In an empirical study, Robra et al (2020) found that if peer production is commons-based, it is a part of degrowth if organizations are explicitly oriented toward eco-sufficiency. A year later, Robra et al (2021) added that "a strong awareness of the contradiction of CBPP [Commons-Based Peer-Production] in the capitalist system and the aim to shift societal structures helps to survive this contradiction and align with degrowth counter-hegemony simultaneously" (p. 363). Commons are social relations, practices, and work based on established regulations, which require community.…”

Sustainability marketing beyond sustainable development: towards a degrowth agenda

“…Roulet & Bothello, 2020), although the vast majority of degrowth scholars are critical of this view (e.g. Hinton, 2021;Robra et al, 2021). In this regard, it is argued that whilst there is certainly a role for entrepreneurship in a degrowth society, the latter should look radically different from conventional business models in the for-profit sector.…”