Political Ecologist

Introduction

Although Green approaches to politics have had some practical successes in a range of different countries, the movement has lacked a fully developed and coherent political theory.

Ecological Understanding and Political Ecology

In this unique study David Wells and Tony Lynch demonstrate that ecological understanding and environmental concern are not just consistent with notions of social equity and grass-roots democracy, but that a concern for these aims are the logical consequence of what might be called political ecology.

Critique of Existing Approaches

They begin with a critique of existing approaches to Green politics, with particular attention to the claims of deep ecology.

Relationship Between Economic and Ecological Thinking

They go on to develop an important examination of the relationship between economic and ecological styles of thinking.

Social Commons and Lockean Politics

They conclude with a social commons inspired revision of Lockean politics.

Central Political Challenge

What emerges is an important understanding of the tasks of politics: rather than focusing on foreground issues of individual choice, the central political challenge of our age is with the management and provision of the background conditions (the ecological conditions - understood in the broadest sense) which allows the possibility of a reasonable life.

Environmental Commons and Traditional Themes

The analysis shows a concern with environmental commons engenders equal concerns for social, economic and cultural commons, develops an account of how such commons can be effectively managed and relates this account to more traditional political themes of democracy, liberty and equity.