The Greening Of Conservative America [Hardcover]

John Bliese (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0813338026 | ISBN-13: 978-0813338026 | Publication Date: February 15, 2001 | Edition: 1st

Is “conservative environmentalism” an oxymoron? Is more environmental regulation good for business? The Greening of Conservative America contends that the adherents to any well-considered conservative political philosophy should, on first principles, support pro-conservation, pro-environment policies. Furthermore, and pragmatically, Bliese demonstrates with repeated examples how environmental protection policies actually benefit business by stimulating greater efficiency and innovation and by spurring the creation of green products and services for new markets around the globe. These ideas are applied in chapters on specific environmental issues, including pollution, global warming, biodiversity, public-land management, and sustainability. The book concludes with criticisms of “free-market environmentalism” and calls conservatives back to their root principles on matters of the environment. Concerned citizens of any political persuasion will find much in this book to inform their views on public debates over environmental issues and policies.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

As the Bush administration attempts to forge a national energy policy that includes increasing the supply of oil by opening more of Alaska's northern coast to drilling, perhaps his advisers should read this book. Bliese (communications studies, Texas Tech Univ.) argues that true, or traditional, conservatives are also conservationists, just as Teddy Roosevelt was. He distinguishes traditional conservatives, such as Edmund Burke, Russell Kirk, and Frank Meyer, from libertarian, free-market conservatives and cultural conservatives. Since traditional conservatives follow the Judeo-Christian principle of preserving God's creation, to despoil the earth is a crime against God and man. The author posits that conservatives should employ free-market environmentalism, using market mechanisms to protect the environment, but that they should also restrain the market when it would destroy the environment. Much of the book contains examples of how free-market environmentalism would work to preserve public lands, reduce air and water pollution, and preserve some endangered species. As the author notes, the "liberal" environmental movement mistrusts the motives of all conservatives, but he hopes that with this book, liberals can discover common ground with traditional conservatives. Interesting but a bit theoretical and far-fetched; mildly recommended for larger public libraries. Thomas J. Baldino, Wilkes Univ., Wilkes-Barre, PA
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

In a bold challenge to the conventional wisdom identifying environmentalists as political liberals, Bliese articulates a comprehensive conservative strategy for protecting the environment. Never mind that many of the politicians calling themselves conservatives now give a green light to the worst exploiters of the natural world. For in the writings of traditionalist conservatives (including Russell Kirk, Richard Weaver, and Leo Strauss), Bliese limns principles of spiritual stewardship and piety toward God's creation that, taken together, can inform an environmentalist vision for the future. Conservatives, he argues, should be fighting to conserve our natural as well as our cultural resources. Bliese's conservative environmentalism differs from the usual liberal agenda, however, in shifting policies away from command-and-control bureaucracies and toward free markets and the private sector. But unlike libertarian extremists, Bliese recognizes the dangers in letting businesses write their own tickets. Proposals for saving wilderness lands and for preserving endangered species abound among liberals. A book that aims at the same objectives but from the right gives new life to the debate over means. Bryce Christensen
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Basic Books; 1st edition (February 15, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0813338026
• ISBN-13: 978-0813338026
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,591,006 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Conservative criticizes conservatives, March 31, 2001

By 

James T. Norton (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Greening Of Conservative America (Hardcover)

Conservative criticizes conservatives for not protecting the environment

"We have also seen that the current anti-environmental stance of many politicians and pundits is entirely unacceptable because it violates fundamental conservative principles." page 263

John R. E. Bliese (The Greening of Conservative America, Westview Press, 2001) is not the first to claim that conservatives should be conservationists, but no one has done the job as well as he has. In contrast to the usual ignorant nonsense that is promoted as conservative "environmentalism" (for example Peter Huber's Hard Green) the book is well researched, well written, and for the most part well argued . Contents

In the first chapter Bliese tackles three myths about the environmental movement; that environmentalists are anticapitalisrs and leftist, that they are pagan nature worshipers, and that environmentalism is just gloom and doom. He then takes on the myth that conservatives should be for business no matter what. Bliese claims that this being for business is what has turned many conservatives into anti-environmentalists. This is a gross oversimplification, but then charting the growth of anti-environmentalism would probably take an entire book. Chapter two demolishes the environment versus the economy myth In chapter three Bliese presents nine conservative principles that are related to environmental protection. Using numerous quotes from conservative thinkers Bliese makes the claim that conservatism requires caring for the environment. The next six chapters look at various environmental problems and possible solutions. Chapter four covers pollution. This is very good, except that Bliese uses "cancer clusters" as proof of harm from toxic chemicals. Almost all of these clusters are the result of the random distribution of cases, and cannot be proven to be caused by toxic chemicals. Chapter five looks at issues involving public lands. His reccomendations are almost totally the reverse of what conservatives usually recommend, especially the so-called "wise use" movement. He notes, for example, that livestock grazing on public land adds an insignificant amount to both the economy and the food supply, while causing great environmental problems. And he notes that wilderness, preserved as wilderness' is far more valuable than the resources that could be extracted from them. Chapters six and seven cover global warming. Yes, it is real, according to the best scientific research, and it will cost far less to prevent it than to deal with the consequences. Chapter eight covers endangered species, including how the Endangered Species Act can be improved. Chapter nine covers sustainability.

Chapter ten looks at "free market environmentalism" an idea that is very popular with some libertarians. Bliese ask if FME is "environmentalism for conservatives?". The answer is a decided no. Among the faults is a good idea (private conservation of land) taken to a bad extreme; the elimination of government conservation of land. Another FME idea, the replacement of environmental regulations with common law liability rules fails for several reasons. For one thing, it was the way of doing things until the 1970s, and it simply did not work. Another major problem is that it is a system that puts the victims of pollution at a major disadvantage in relation to the polluters. These are just a few of the problems Bliese found with FME. The book ends with a short chapter on concluding thoughts.

The good and the bad

Overall the book is very good. It should help rally conservatives to the conservation position. But one has to wonder about how great an impact it will have. So far, it has received little publicity. And we now have a "compassionate conservative" in the White House who seems intent on rolling back environmental protections as rapidly as the paper work can be processed.

There are a few minor problems with the book. For example, Bliese seems to believe that all conservatives share his view that the world was created by God, and that nature ought to be preserved because God gave man stewardship of it. But there is one major problem, the repeated claim that he is promoting conservative solutions to problems, with the implication that liberals would not support them. We are told, without any evidence, that liberals (and bureaucrats) support "command and control" regulations. This is totally inconsistent with the heavy documentation found in the rest of the book. And it appears to be just plain wrong. Here are his three main categories of "conservative" solutions (he also offers more specific solutions in some cases).

1. End the subsidies of destructive activities. Who, except those who benefit from the subsides, would object to this?

2. Where needed, improve existing laws. Who, except anti-governmental extremists, could object?

3. Make the polluters pay. Who, except the polluters, could object.

In short, these solutions are neither conservative nor liberal. While people may disagree on their reasons for protecting the environment, the solutions should be judged by how well they work. The environment needs all the friends it can get.

6 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Breath of Fresh Air!, March 30, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Greening Of Conservative America (Hardcover)

Not since Rachel Carson's "Silent Spring" has the case for environmental protection been presented in a manner that could compel even the most apathetic citizen to sit up and take note. Extremely well written, well researched, and well argued, this book dispels a number of common myths and provides fresh and impressively documented arguments for conserving and protecting the environment. Nothing new, you say? It is when the case for environmental protection is made from (surprise!)a traditional conservative perspective! "The Greening of Conservative America" is an enjoyable, educational, and inspirational read. One can only hope that Bliese's fellow conservatives pay it some heed, for the sake of generations to come.