Citizenry and the State in the Shaping of Environmental Policy
Author(s)
Flader, Susan L.
Abstract
The relationship of citizens to their state with regard to the shaping of environmental policy is examined from the perspectives of various nations, including the U.S., China, South Africa, and Finland. In the U.S., a long tradition of skepticism of government preceded the environmental movement of the 1960s. This tradition is reviewed in its historic context, beginning with the founding fathers, and continuing through the rational arguments of the Enlightenment and the founding of the nation. Environmental policy in the nineteenth century was shaped by strong values of individualism. Civic consciousness has been an important factor in shaping environmental policy: citizen action outside of government bodies accounts for a significant amount of policy attention.
