Environmental Deceptions: The Tension Between Liberalism and Environmental Policymaking in the United States (Suny Series in International Environme)
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Book Overview
Explores the tensions between American political culture, which is predicated on self-interest, and environmental regulation, which restricts individual property rights.
Environmental Deceptions brings together normative analysis and empirical data to explain the structural limitations liberal society places on environmental improvement. Whereas liberal society is predicated on individual self-interest, environmental legislation is predicated on communal regulation of individual property rights. Cahn's aim is to expose the tensions between American political culture and environmental regulation in an effort to make environmental policy discourse more effective. By analyzing such areas as air policy, water policy, waste policy, and energy policy, he exposes the subtle tensions that often lead to failure and explains why traditional models of environmental legislation are insufficient to resolve existing environmental dilemmas.
Customer Reviews
Rated 4 starsOne of the best intros to environmental philsophy
This book is the one to read before you start thinking about sprawl, conservation, environmental justice, deep ecology and risk-based analysis. You must first take time to understand what Lockean liberalism means and then the book takes off. I've never read a clearer explanation of why we must take back "the commons" in order to have a chance at clean water.
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Rated 4 starsLearn what Cahn means by liberal (hint: John Locke)
To fully appreciate this groundbreaking book, know that the John Locke definition of liberal is operating here, not the current political definition of liberal, which is left-leaning Democrat.Then, on to understand that Cahn's premise that the American environment (air, water, space) depends on our re-accepting that the air, water and space we share is just that: shared -- we must relinquish the idea that property rights mean...
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Rated 5 starsExcellent Analysis of U.S. Environmental Policies
Matthew Cahn's book _Environmental Deceptions_ offers an excellent overview and comprehensive analysis of U.S. environmental policies. Cahn's central thesis is that U.S. environmental regulatory and energy policies are largely symbolic, and more intended as a means to manage public opinion than an effort to protect the environment. With global warming becoming an ever growing reality, Cahn's position is taking on greater...
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