Lecture 4: Environmental Authoritarianism and Fascism Flashcards
What does the term “avocado politics” refer to according to Gilman?
Green on the outside (environmentally focused), but brown (far-right/fascist) on the inside.
What ideological blend existed in Germany before Nazism that linked nature and nation?
A proto-fascistic blend of naturalism and nationalism rooted in anti-modernism.
How did early German ecologists racialize environmental concerns?
They associated modernity’s destruction of nature with Judaism and promoted nature mysticism linked to the German Völk.
What was the Green Wing of the Nazi Party?
A faction that promoted environmentally sensitive policies in agriculture and industry, integrating ecology into Nazi ideology.
How did the Nazis justify authoritarianism using ecology?
By arguing society must follow “natural laws” and prioritizing the whole (nation/nature) over individuals.
What is the concept of “organic holism” in Nazi ideology?
The idea that society, like an organism, must prioritize the whole over individual parts, enabling authoritarian and racist policies.
What were some key environmental policies enacted by the Nazi regime?
Reforestation laws, species protection, preservationist development limits, and creation of nature preserves (1933–1935).
How did Nazi environmental thought contribute to genocide?
It framed Jews as personifications of modernity’s destruction of nature, justifying their elimination to “restore” natural purity.
What do Li and Shapiro argue about China’s environmental authoritarianism?
It uses environmentalism as a tool to entrench state power, not as a genuine means to ecological improvement.
What is the key difference between environmentalism and environmental authoritarianism?
Environmentalism is about ecological goals; environmental authoritarianism uses ecological concerns to justify coercive control.
How does China’s environmental policy differ across regions?
In less developed areas, it includes forced relocations, often targeting ethnic minorities, in the name of conservation or green energy.
What is the normative critique of China’s environmental authoritarianism?
Environmental gains come at the cost of personal freedoms and individual rights.
What is “environmental authoritarianism” in the context of China, as discussed by Li and Shapiro?
It refers to how China’s government uses environmental concerns to justify expanding state control and authoritarian policies, often disregarding individual rights and freedoms.
What do Li and Shapiro argue about the “green growth” strategy in China?
They argue that while China promotes itself as a leader in environmentalism, its “green growth” strategy often serves to consolidate political power and increase economic control, not necessarily to improve ecological health.
