Autocratic Collapse, Ecocracy, or Democratic Care – What Does the Future Hold?

Vision: A Glimpse into a Possible Future  

“The ecological catastrophe can be avoided.” That is what the leaflet says I am clutching in my hand as I step into the room. Our local community has convened an extraordinary public assembly—one that could not wait until the regular quarterly forum. The Great Lake, a beloved hiking destination and a stronghold of fishing and ecological life, has almost completely dried up.  

The room is full. Around the table sit both those directly affected and those deeply concerned. Conservationists, farmers, hikers, teachers, technicians, elected municipal leaders, and, of course, water management experts—all are present in search of a shared solution. Nameplates lie on the table, some bearing unexpected labels. One reads “Forest Alliance”; another lists wetland species. A third simply says: “The Wonderful Fungi”.  

Everyone has representation—human and more-than-human communities alike. Of course, a shaggy ink cap (Coprinus comatus) mushroom would struggle to sign the documents without a pen. It, like others, is represented in the decision-making process by dedicated human beings and associations.  

Decisions have to be made frequently. Now, given that the last time there was such a severe drought was 30 years ago, in the 2020s, farmers are forced to close the gates on the stream flowing toward the Great Lake, to ensure sufficient water for the wooded floodplain pastures and croplands. As a result, too little water reaches the lake, and the water birds are protesting loudly.  

Through ecological water retention, we have avoided collapsing—but disputes will always arise amid the whims of the changing climate. At such times, we come together and seek a collective solution rather than submitting top-down dictates. Prohibition would be easy, of course—but what would then become of the meadows, the fields, and the farmers’ livelihoods? We owe them our food. We depend on one another.  

Decisions are not necessarily made by majority vote. Everyone can be part of the consensus, including those who might otherwise find themselves in the minority. The decision belongs to everyone, and complying with it is an internal obligation. The solution serves the common interest; thus, by listening to one another and choosing cooperation over competition, we make democratic decisions together. Everyone—human and non-human beings alike—is an active participant. In this way, both ecological and social catastrophes can be avoided again and again.  

Research – What Would an Ideal Economy Beyond Growth Look Like?  

Repression, autocracy, centralization, weakening communities, growing insecurity: as crises such as climate change, cost-of-living pressures, and geopolitical instability accumulate on a global scale, the response has often been a narrowing of social participation. Instead of collective solutions, problems are addressed through top-down decisions, justified by promises of order and stability, while democratic oversight is gradually dismantled.  

The scenario of “autocratic collapse” is so plausible that even experts on post-growth economies consider it a realistic outcome. It is a future in which the imperative of economic growth falters—but not in the direction of a more just and participatory system. Instead, it erodes democracy. Environmental and social crises no longer generate collective learning and care, but rather coercion, hierarchy, and exclusion.  

Yet a Mad Max–style collapse is not inevitable; other pathways do exist. This is demonstrated by a report prepared by researchers at Corvinus University, * which examines future visions beyond the compulsion for economic growth as part of a European Union research project (Models, Assessment and Policies for Sustainability – MAPS). Contributors from Corvinus include Judit Gáspár, Alexandra Köves, Éva Hideg, András Márton, Attila Szathmári, Gabriella Kiss, Zsombor Csuport, and Máté Fischer.  

“Ecocracy” (ecological autocracy) represents a future in which society takes ecological limits seriously: environmental protection becomes a goal overriding all others, nature conservation is institutionalized, and the economy is framed by strict ecological regulations. There is, however, a catch. This pathway can easily lead to democratic backsliding. Environmental objectives may be used to justify restricting participation, while expert-driven, technocratic decision-making overrides community input. Society becomes not a co-author of sustainability, but merely its executor. According to the research, this is a fragile system: it risks crises of legitimacy, resistance, and eventual rollback, as people do not feel ownership of the transition.  

A green lifestyle may appear to offer a sustainable future—but not for everyone. In this scenario, the transition relies exclusively on technological investments (such as smart heating systems or electric vehicles), market-based solutions (such as green loans), and resource-intensive innovations (such as large-scale solar parks), all controlled and enjoyed by a narrow group with capital, knowledge, and influence. The majority of society remains excluded: “green” solutions are expensive and difficult to access, reproducing and deepening existing inequalities. Sustainability becomes not a public good, but a status symbol. The research therefore identifies this “elitist green bubble” as particularly dangerous. While it avoids overt collapse, it undermines social cohesion and becomes politically unstable in the long run.  

There is, however, another direction—one in which environmental boundaries do not restrict participation but instead expand it. In the scenario of “democratic care for nature,” protecting the environment is neither a top-down imposition nor an elite form of green sustainability. It is a shared concern, shaped and carried forward at lower levels of society—within communities, municipalities, and cooperative networks.  

According to the research, this is the only post-growth scenario capable of simultaneously delivering ecological stability, social justice, and political legitimacy. Cooperation and mutualism are the organizing principles: well-being is ensured through systems that are collectively created and collectively maintained, rather than through market privileges or central commands. Democracy is safeguarded through subsidiarity, meaning that decisions are made where their consequences are felt—for example, through collaboration among local communities and municipalities, on a participatory basis, with genuine social involvement.  

Challenges – Individual and Community Steps Toward the Future  

1. Eyes open:  
Try walking to the university for a few stops instead of taking public transport or a car. What other living beings—plants, animals, fungi—that you had never noticed before did you pass along the way?  

2. A connected life:  
Visit three places around your home where you might discover a new, place-based connection. This could be an old tree in a park, a friendly family-run bakery, or a program at a local community space. How did it feel to discover these new (or renewed) connections?  

3. The gift of time:  
Offer a small portion of your time to others, selflessly, perhaps for a community purpose. This could be volunteering or simply spending quality time with elderly relatives or with your pet. How do you think this changed the way you value time?  

4. Cooperation:  
Share your notes with someone or help a fellow student through joint studying—especially someone you feel might need your support. What do you think you learned in the process?  

5. Interbeing:  
Choose a more-than-human being you encounter regularly but know little about. Read a few interesting facts about it. This could be a lichen on a nearby rooftop, fungus on a tree trunk, the tree itself, or even a farm animal.  

6. Participation:  
Look into whether your local municipality offers participatory programs in sustainability and climate change. If not, explore the Budapest Participatory Budget website—there may be an event or project you can actively take part in.  

7. A sustainable university:  
Choose a day when you pay special attention to sustainability at Corvinus University. What issues did you notice that might be worth addressing? Send your observations to dean.sustainability@uni-corvinus.hu.  

8. Join in:  
Is there a sustainability project in your own community—such as your dormitory or a local civil initiative—that interests you? Reach out and join the action! If you need ideas, feel free to contact us as well.  

9. Participatory eco-film club:  
In the spring semester, we are launching a new initiative open to both students and colleagues. Together, we will decide which sustainability-related film to watch, discuss it collectively, and brainstorm actions. First session: late February (details coming soon).  

10. Read:  
Explore the study by researchers at Corvinus University on possible future pathways for an economy beyond growth. If you are interested in mutualism and Indigenous knowledge, we also recommend Robin Wall Kimmerer’s Braiding Sweetgrass, or the podcast episode featuring her linked below.  

10+1. Learn and act:  
If you would like to deepen your engagement with participation, local community-building, and the creation of a sustainable and solidarity-based society, take a look at the programmes of the School of Public Life (Közélet Iskolája).  

Author and Photos: Máté Kovács 

* Gáspár, J.; Köves, A.; Hirvilammi, T., Hideg, É.; Ding, J.; Márton, A.; Szathmári, A.; Kiss, G.; Csuport, Zs.; Fischer, M. (2025). Post-growth Futures Report. The MAPS Project, Corvinus University of Budapest, Budapest, Hungary.