The only reason to recline a seat is not annoy the pax behind, but because the 'upright' angle is too painful for anyone over 5'6". It has been stated, in air rage discussions, that the seat-back angle of airline seats is the same as used in interogations when wishing to deprive the victim of sleep and cause discomfort.
I have travelled on the more comfortable airlines, where their overwing exit seats do not recline as per the norm, but the fixed seat-back angle was acceptable. The discomfort to pax is not recline per se, but the amount of recline. Half the amount would be all that is necessary to avoid the back ache caused by present designs. The fixed angle would not effect the price of manufacture.
Thus, a non recline seat is OK if the fixed angle is suitable. At the moment it is not!