Ecoauthoritarianism (also known as aneco-dictatorship[1]) is apolitical ideology which attempts to reconcile bothenvironmentalist andauthoritarian tendencies. It is justified by the belief of the inevitability and necessity of a strongcentral government to preserve the environment.
In 2010, political scientistMark Beeson defined "ecoauthoritarianism" as "the decrease in individual liberty as governments seek to transform environmentally destructive behaviour."[2] Unlikeecofascism, ecoauthoritarianism can be utilized by both theleft andright wing[citation needed].
Proponents of ecoauthoritarianism generally tend to critiquedemocratic measures by whichenvironmental sustainability can be preserved, citing that an authoritarian governmental system would beconsequentially more preferable than the preservation ofindividual liberties andhuman rights throughliberal pathways.[3] The common denominator in ecoauthoritarian thought is the focus on environmental sustainability and the belief thatpolitical plurality is incompatible with the attainment of this sustainability.[4] Though other regime types are imaginable, the majority of scholars suggest ameritocratic system. Instead of a democratic rule, politicians would be chosen according to their expertise.[citation needed]
Withingreen political thought, ecoauthoritarianism is marginal. Ecoauthoritarianism was inspired byThe Limits to Growth and its conclusion that there are physical limits to growth and that without dramatic changes in all areas of life, Earth is doomed to become uninhabitable.[5] Newer ecoauthoritarian thought underlines the tradeoffs andillegitimacy of unsustainable politics in a democracy.[6] It emphasizes that democracy cannot be an absolute, since sustainability is a precondition for everything valuable. It shows how theoverexploitation of resources, given its consequences, must be considered as violence and that in fact, many issues cannot be subject to democratic decision making nor should they be subject to democratic decision making. There are many instances where the state already interferes and where interference is essential for public safety.[7]
Ecoauthoritarian thoughts are gaining traction recently, as some people[who?] believe democracy is an inadequate system to ensureecological stability.[8] Especially, the recent leaps taken by theChinese government are seen by some scholars as evidence for the superior potential ofautocratic governments when it comes to implementing good environmental governance.[9]
