antiindustrialism

Antiindustrialism is a broad set of critiques and ideologies that oppose or seek to limit the expansion of industrial production and its social, environmental, and cultural impacts within modern society. It encompasses a range of positions rather than a single doctrine, and it often distinguishes between condemning certain practices and rejecting technology as a whole.

Historically, opposition to industrial change appeared in the Luddite movements of the early 19th century, who resisted mechanization and factory discipline. Later strands emerged within Romanticism, environmentalist thought, and primitivist or pastoral critiques of industrial civilization. In recent decades, antiindustrialist ideas have resurfaced in degrowth and eco-anarchist critiques, which oppose perpetual economic growth and emphasize ecological balance, local self-sufficiency, and low-impact technologies.

Core concerns typically include ecological destruction, climate change, resource depletion, pollution, loss of biodiversity, worker exploitation, social inequality, and erosion of traditional communities and cultures. Proponents argue for reduced production and consumption, relocalization of economies, frugal or appropriate technologies, and a transition to more sustainable energy and land-use practices. They often advocate rethinking indicators of progress beyond GDP growth.

Critics contend that antiindustrialism can threaten poverty reduction, impede technological and medical progress, and be vague about policy implementation. Some distinguish between critiques of industrial systems and outright opposition to technology, stressing that approaches may favor reform rather than retreat.

In contemporary discourse, antiindustrialism intersects with degrowth, sustainable design, and ecological philosophy, though it remains a minority strand. It is frequently debated within environmental and development policy circles.