The Growth Dilemma and Post-Growth Macroeconomics According to Jackson

This text provides a profound analysis of the growth dilemma, which has become a normative condition for stability in contemporary political economy, despite its destructive impact on planetary boundaries. The author explores Jackson's concept of post-growth macroeconomics, exposing the illusion of absolute decoupling of growth from resource consumption. The article examines the mechanisms of the "iron cage of consumerism" and the role of positional goods in fueling market pressures. A key element of the argument is a proposal to redefine economic foundations: rejecting the productivity trap in favor of servitization, viewing work as a form of social participation, and treating investment as a long-term obligation to future generations. This is a call to build sustainable prosperity based not on extensive exploitation but on stability and social justice in a world of finite resources.