Growth of what, for what?

"For GDP, producing $1bn of private jets is worth exactly the same as $1bn of affordable housing." — Jason Hickel

Liz Truss's smash-and-grab growthism provides an important lesson. We should never frame our vision in terms of "growth". As long as growth is the objective, neoliberals will always argue that the best way to achieve it is through deregulation and transfers to the rich...

— Jason Hickel (@jasonhickel) October 10, 2022

Instead, we should always specify what we *actually want*: fair wages, affordable housing, universal public services, thriving communities, secure livelihoods for all, ecological stability.

Hold these front and center. When these are the objectives, neoliberals have nothing.

— Jason Hickel (@jasonhickel) October 10, 2022

It's a foolish move. Remember, GDP is a metric of aggregate production, as measured by exchange-value (not use-value!). For GDP, producing $1bn of private jets is worth exactly the same as $1bn of affordable housing.

Increasing *aggregate production* is a nonsensical objective.

— Jason Hickel (@jasonhickel) October 10, 2022

Simon Kuznets, the creator of GDP, nailed it in 1962: "Distinctions must be kept in mind between quantity and quality of growth, between its costs and return, and between the short and the long term. Goals for more growth should specify more growth of what and for what."

— Jason Hickel (@jasonhickel) October 10, 2022