Week 13

Green Politics or Ecology as Ideology, Part 2

Deadlines:

Quizzes and Part A Question:   Monday   11/18  at 11:30 pm in Webcourses but accepted until Wed. 11/20 without penalties.

 Part B posts:                                   Wednesday 11/20 at 11:30 pm in Yellowdig.

READ: (in Files, under Assigned Readings)

Murray Rothbard, The Libertarian Manifesto on Pollution.

Ernest Partridge, Liberty for Some.

PRESENTATION

This week we are expanding our understanding of environmental issues. The central question is whether libertarianism (here represented by Murray Rothbard) or modern liberalism (here represented by Ernest Partridge) offer the best avenue for effective protection against pollution and harm to the environment and people.

The model of environmental protection currently applied in the U.S. corresponds to the model of modern liberalism defended by Partridge. This model is applied with widely fluctuating rigor depending on which political party controls the presidency and the Congress. Democrats tend to favor regulations while Republicans tend to favor de-regulations. However, Republicans do not generally apply Rothbard’s ideas.

Think of this module as an exercise in applying and debating the comparative value of two competing ideologies in the context of a concrete problem. Rothbard would address pollution by creating private property rights in bodies of water and have the courts enforce the historical meaning of tort and nuisance laws against air polluters abusing other people’s property or health. Partridge negates the practicality of this approach and defends a regime of environmental regulations by governmental agencies.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After completing this chapter, students should be able to:

1. Describe with accuracy the arguments presented by Rothbard to support his claim that private property rights, properly construed and enforced, can provide effective protection against pollution, polluters, and polluting technologies.
2. Describe with accuracy the arguments presented by Ernest Partridge claiming that libertarian private property rights and the courts would be ineffective in protecting us against pollution, polluters, and polluting technologies.
3. Reflect critically on how pollution is best controlled and mitigated by policy and institutions.

PART A TASKS in Webcourses

Q-0:  Is there an idea or a claim expressed in the readings that you find difficult, confusing, or unclear? If so, tell us which idea this is. Cite the document title and page where you encountered this idea. We cannot help you if the description of what is unclear is overly broad. You do not need to answer this question.

Q-1: Which idea(s) or claim(s) expressed in the readings (and viewing) did you find the most interesting or meaningful? Summarize that idea, claim or piece of information. Explain why you found it meaningful. Does it clarify something important in your mind? If so, what? Does it change something important in your thinking? If so, again what?

200 words minimum. State your word count.

 NOTE: In answering the question in Part A, you must strive to demonstrate that you reflected on the meaning of the readings and viewing. There is no right or wrong answer. There are only answers demonstrating shallow and perfunctory or serious and deep reflections on the material. We want to see the latter.

Your Part A answer is graded 50% for thoughtful content and 50% for proficient writing.

PART B TASKS in Yellowdig

Week 13 instructor’s question:  

Which Offers the Best Model to Protect the Environment? Libertarianism or Modern Liberalism?

In your view, who of Rothbard or Partridge makes the stronger argument for environmental protection and why? Would creating private property rights in water and enforcing tort and nuisance laws by the courts to police abuse solve pollution problems like Rothbard argues? Or would trusting the courts to police the polluters make it impracticable for pollution victims to make polluters accountable, deprive all but the richer among us of environmental protection, and create uncertainty as to what is permitted or not permitted as Partridge argues?

SOURCES: Murray Rothbard, The Libertarian Manifesto on Pollution and Ernest Partridge, Liberty for Some.