Civil disobedience, the climate crisis and democracy | Amsterdam University Press Journals Online
2004
Volume 44, Issue 3/4
  • ISSN: 0167-2444
  • E-ISSN: 2949-8651

Abstract

Abstract

In this article1, I argue for a more expansive approach to civil disobedience that allows for climate justice issues to be connected to the existing literature on the subject. The first argument appeals to the ideals of a deliberative conception of democracy. I argue that in many states, the deliberative process has been unduly influenced by fossil fuel interests and that civil disobedience may be a morally permissible way to restore the integrity of collective decision-making procedures. Next, I argue that the prospect of suffering irreversible harms provides citizens with the grounds to use disruptive, illegal tactics to contest the governance relationships that impose these harms. Finally, I argue that a minimal commitment to intergenerational justice offers a compelling reason for using civil disobedience in order to safeguard democratic institutions for future generations.

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2023-12-01
2024-04-29
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