Nationalism, Capitalism and Hostility Towards Environmental Policies: A Theoretical Study

The article explores a possible connection between nationalism, capitalism, and nationalist movements’ common hostility towards environmental policies. It draws from materialist assertions about the capitalogenic nature of ecological degradation and modernist theories of nationalism, which explain i...

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Main Author: Piotr Walewicz
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wydawnictwo Adam Marszałek 2024-09-01
Series:Polish Political Science Yearbook
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author Piotr Walewicz
author_facet Piotr Walewicz
author_sort Piotr Walewicz
collection DOAJ
description The article explores a possible connection between nationalism, capitalism, and nationalist movements’ common hostility towards environmental policies. It draws from materialist assertions about the capitalogenic nature of ecological degradation and modernist theories of nationalism, which explain it as a product or by-product of capitalist modernization. By employing theories of nationalism’s instrumentality in preserving the existing social hierarchies, the article proposes that this approach might be extrapolated onto socioecological hierarchies, which are contested or have their fundamental rules challenged by many environmental policies. Nationalism may then be seen as an instrument of capital – personified by the privileged elites – taking advantage of an ideology that appeals to those ‘left behind’ by modernization and globalization to thwart or delay changes to the socioecological status quo. An identity-based movement is thus utilized to protect the continuing exploitation and appropriation of nature. This proposed connection underscores the need for further empirical research, which is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of the topic and its potential impact on environmental policies.
format Article
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issn 0208-7375
language English
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publisher Wydawnictwo Adam Marszałek
record_format Article
series Polish Political Science Yearbook
spelling doaj-art-528b585ba8ed4c03bd0a6800a633ebb42025-08-20T02:43:55ZengWydawnictwo Adam MarszałekPolish Political Science Yearbook0208-73752024-09-0153351910.15804/ppsy202425Nationalism, Capitalism and Hostility Towards Environmental Policies: A Theoretical StudyPiotr Walewicz0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6878-4380Kazimierz Wielki University in Bydgoszcz (Poland)The article explores a possible connection between nationalism, capitalism, and nationalist movements’ common hostility towards environmental policies. It draws from materialist assertions about the capitalogenic nature of ecological degradation and modernist theories of nationalism, which explain it as a product or by-product of capitalist modernization. By employing theories of nationalism’s instrumentality in preserving the existing social hierarchies, the article proposes that this approach might be extrapolated onto socioecological hierarchies, which are contested or have their fundamental rules challenged by many environmental policies. Nationalism may then be seen as an instrument of capital – personified by the privileged elites – taking advantage of an ideology that appeals to those ‘left behind’ by modernization and globalization to thwart or delay changes to the socioecological status quo. An identity-based movement is thus utilized to protect the continuing exploitation and appropriation of nature. This proposed connection underscores the need for further empirical research, which is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of the topic and its potential impact on environmental policies. nationalismcapitalismenvironmental politicsenvironmental skepticismmodernity
spellingShingle Piotr Walewicz
Nationalism, Capitalism and Hostility Towards Environmental Policies: A Theoretical Study
Polish Political Science Yearbook
nationalism
capitalism
environmental politics
environmental skepticism
modernity
title Nationalism, Capitalism and Hostility Towards Environmental Policies: A Theoretical Study
title_full Nationalism, Capitalism and Hostility Towards Environmental Policies: A Theoretical Study
title_fullStr Nationalism, Capitalism and Hostility Towards Environmental Policies: A Theoretical Study
title_full_unstemmed Nationalism, Capitalism and Hostility Towards Environmental Policies: A Theoretical Study
title_short Nationalism, Capitalism and Hostility Towards Environmental Policies: A Theoretical Study
title_sort nationalism capitalism and hostility towards environmental policies a theoretical study
topic nationalism
capitalism
environmental politics
environmental skepticism
modernity
work_keys_str_mv AT piotrwalewicz nationalismcapitalismandhostilitytowardsenvironmentalpoliciesatheoreticalstudy