Downshifting - Socio-political Implications

Socio-political Implications

Although downshifting is primarily motivated by personal desire and not by a conscious political stance, it does define societal overconsumption as the source of much personal discontent. By redefining life satisfaction in non-material terms, downshifters assume an alternative lifestyle but continue to coexist in a society and political system preoccupied with the economy. In general, downshifters are politically apathetic because mainstream politicians mobilize voters through the hip-pocket nerve, proposing governmental solutions to periods of financial hardship and economic recessions. This economic rhetoric is meaningless to downshifters who have forgone worrying about money.

Although consumers do hold the majority in the US, the UK and Australia, a significant minority, approximately 20 to 25 percent, of these countries' citizens identify themselves in some respect as downshifters. Downshifting is not an isolated or unusual choice. Politics still centers around consumerism and unrestricted growth, but downshifting value, such as family priorities and workplace regulation, are appearing in political debates and campaigns.

Like downshifters, the Cultural Creatives is another social movement whose ideology and practices diverge from mainstream consumerism and according to Paul Ray, are followed by at least one-fourth of US citizens.

In his book In Praise of Slowness, Carl Honoré relates followers of downshifting and Simple living to the global Slow Movement.

The emergence of a large and diverse class of downshifters in the US, the UK and Australia challenges the economically bias ideas for improving society. Downshifting and similar, post-materialist ideologies are rising in popularity, but as a result of their grassroots nature, and relatively inconspicuous, non-confrontational subcultures, they represent unorganized social movements without political aspirations or motivating grievances.