Systemic Unsustainability as a Threat to Democracy

Abstract

Resilient socioeconomic unsustainability poses a threat to democracy whose importance has yet to be fully acknowledged. As the prospect of sustainability transition wanes, so does perceived legitimacy of institutions. This further limits representative institutions’ ability to take action, making democratic deepening all the more urgent. I investigate this argument through an illustrative case study, the 2017 People’s Climate March. In a context of resilient unsustainability, protesters have little expectation that institutions might address the ecological crisis and this view is likely to spread. New ways of thinking about this problem and a new research agenda are needed.

Consequential Choices in a Challenging Time

“…All of the issues discussed here, and more, are at stake. Social, political and environmental issues are intertwined, and recent work suggests that democracy itself may be threatened by failures to address climate change and broader issues of environmental sustainability (Felicetti 2020). By the time this issue goes to press, I hope the outcome of the election will be resolved.…”