Lesson Seven: Challenges to Liberalism With Alternative Thought

Challenges to Liberalism: Environmentalist Perspectives

Many people are deeply concerned about the environment. They believe that a materialistic lifestyle could harm the future of the planet. They believe that we need laws to protect endangered species, to limit pollution and greenhouse gases, and to limit the destruction of the forests. However, these laws could limit people's individual rights, including the right to own private property. Environmental laws are usually collective in nature because they limit what individuals can do by attempting to protect the environment for the common good of all.

If people believe that environmental concerns about the future of the planet is important, can they also support the main aspects of liberal ideology? Many environmentalists promote the idea of sustainable development. Sustainable development is the concept that resources should be used sparingly so that they can also be used by future generations rather than using them all up for a profit now. This also includes the ideas of Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.