Comparative politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Comparative politics - Essay Example The focus of Green political theory â€Å"is usually on two themes: on the role of anthropocentric ethics in reducing the non-human world to merely being of instrumental value to humans; and on the question of limits to growth.† (Paterson, 2001:35). Eckersley (1992) suggests that the defining characteristic of Green politics is ecocentrism, or the rejection of an anthropocentric thought which places value only on humans in favor of one which also places value on ecosystems and all other living organisms. Ecocentrism recognizes the full range of human interests in the non-human world- and not merely the instrumental value of particular parts of nature-, the interests of the non-human world, as well as the interests of future generations of humans and non-humans. Finally, ecocentrism â€Å"adopts a holistic rather than an atomistic perspective†, valuing populations, species, ecosystems and the ecosphere as a whole as well as valuing them individually. Dobson (1990) specifies another defining characteristic of Green politics- the limits to growth argument about the nature of the environmental crisis. Paterson says that Greens suggest that â€Å"it is the exponential growth experienced during the last two centuries† which is the main reason behind the current environmental crisis. (2001:36) Dobson suggests that there are three arguments which are important in this context: first, that technological solutions will just postpone the crisis, but cannot prevent it from happening altogether; second, that the exponential nature of growth means that dangers which have been accumulating over a period of time may suddenly have a catastrophic effect; and third, that the problems associated with growth