Postindustrialismus - eine ökologische Utopie?

Abstract

Since the 1980's, great expectations have been invested into theories of a post-industrial society: The third sector is assumed to absorb all human labour being redundant as a result of increases in industrial productivity. In addition, sectoral change to a service economy is believed to lead to an ecologically »cleaner« society. The author points out that the promises of post-industrialism are based on a narrow interpretation of the capitalist development since 1945. Especially, the improvements of the environment announced by Bell, Offe and others did not come true. Thus, environmental politics cannot rely on postindustrialism, but has to aim at structural changes in all economic sectors and in the sphere of consumption as well.