Module 13 - Politics Flashcards
What are 3 key challenges to changing the system?
- Wicked (Complex) Problems
- Growth Based Path Dependencies
- Interests and Politics
History of Environmental and Economic Institutions
- Throughout most of history, human societies have evolved/refined their institutions to increase productivity
- Growth has been a primary goal bc it was a key factor in addressing many problems
- Goals of ‘Sustainability; has been given far less attention bc the ability of humans to harm nature was limited and the long term sustainability challenges were limited in scope and nature
Path Dependency
- The idea that decisions we are faced with depend on past knowledge trajectory and decisions made (aka history matters)
- Societal institutions have momentum and significant change takes a great deal of effort and time to achieve
- All established institutions have momentum and just bc we are aware of new issues, it does not mean that we can quickly adapt to change them
Key types of path dependency
- Urban Sustainability (or not)
- Material Dependencies
- ex. living in YEG and needing to depend on a car for efficient transit - Cultural Dependencies
- once ppl are locked into a certain way of living, they see it as important to maintain - Formal Institutional Dependencies
- regulations, laws
Stakeholders, Interests and Power
- Stakeholders include all individuals, groups, etc. that are impacted by or who take an active interest in a policy decision
- Most issues involves multiple stakeholders, often with competing interests (stakes)
- All stakeholders have ‘interest’
- Stakeholders have different types and levels of political power
Why do stakeholders seek power?
Stakeholders may seek power for any number of reasons, usually to:
1) Benefit themselves by increasing their power, their rights, their condition, or their wealth
2) Benefit those they perceive as allies or members of a group with which they perceive themselves to be a part of
3) Improve the overall public good
Who are the 6 key types of stakeholders?
- Politicians
- The Public (i.e. People)
- The Producers (Corporations/Businesses)
- Environmental Groups (Civil Society)
- Media
- Experts (Scientists)
Direct Citizen Influence
Public Vote/Opinion —> Government Decisions
Divisions within the Public
- We can assess the public as individuals or their interests as groups such as:
1. Ethnic or Religious groups
2. Cultural groups
3. Indigenous groups
4. Economic Income Classes/ Employment Groups
5. Age Groups
6. Residents of specific jurisdictions or communities - Poly impacts as well as policy support/opposition sometimes correlates with such divisions. other stakeholders will sometimes create and/or enhance those divisions for political gain
What are the 4 key activities of environmental NGOs?
- Undertake Public Persuasion through Advocacy (media engagement, political persuasion, protest)
- Act as Watchdog (on industry, gov, on environmental initiatives such as eco labeling, public awareness)
- Fund research that supports position
- Lobbies Government
Direct Lobbying
Civil Society Lobby and $ Contributions —> Gov Decisions
OR
Corporate Lobbying and $ Contributions —> Gov Decisions
Influencing Public Opinion (Persuasion)
Civil Society Persuasion —> Public Vote/Opinion —> Gov Decisions
Corporate Persuasion —> Public Vote/Opinion —> Gov Decisions
Clayoquot Sound
- One of the biggest civil society events in Canada
- NGOs managed to get Clayoquot Sound designated a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 2000
- Protected old growth forests
What are producers? What are most private producers one of?
- Producers are the ‘suppliers’ in the economy
- The Majority of the workforce contribute in one way or another to Production
- Most private producers are one of the following: proprietorship, partnership, corporation
- Corporations are unique in that they are an entity that is legally separate from its owners
Corporations as ‘Externalizing Machines’
- Corporations will try to externalize costs so they don’t have to pay; tied to the fact that they have a legal requirement to prioritize profit
- Push costs on others to prioritize profit
