Political Power and Environmental Sustainability in Agriculture
Author(s)
Paarlberg, Robert L.
Abstract
This article reviews some of the most prominent non-political theories of resource degradation due to agricultural production such as: poverty, population density, input use, and market failures. He shows that each fall short of a convincing explanation, and that attention to the role of political power and institutions would be more insightful. The author argues that fundamental political and social change is needed to end agricultural resource abuse that is caused by unbalanced power relationships among farmers, and between them and non farmers, governments, and other nations.
