Greens against democracy

Anyone who doubts the authoritarian tendencies of environmentalism should listen to the BBC Radio 4 Analyisis programme by Justin Rowlatt (probably not available outside Britain).

The more hard core greens, such as James Lovelock and Mayer Hillman, are in a way less scary. They are at least fairly open about their authoritarian intentions whereas the more mainstream greens try to redefine democracy so it no longer means government by the people. Typically they sneer at ordinary people for their alleged short-termism and their failure to understand the science of climate change.

Sadly no one in the programme draws out the point that the mass of the population, completely understandably, does not welcome cuts in living standards. Nor does it point out that contempt for democracy is completely in line with the elitist assumptions of environmentalism.

Meanwhile, a New York Times article helps provide the backdrop to the debate. The European population is becoming increasingly sceptical about the official presentation of the climate change argument (also see 10 May 2009 and 10 January 2010 posts).

If anything the surprise is that more people do not react against the moral hectoring and demands for restraint that characterise government-backed green campaigns.