Suchergebnisse

A focus on modern industrialized societies obscures both the great antiquity of the state & the powerful selective pressures that have led to the dominance of interstate competition, especially warfare. In pursuit of power, elites have encouraged population growth & intensified the exploitation of the natural resource base, with progressively more severe ecological impacts. Modern technology has vastly amplified the problem. It makes possible sophisticated environmental management, but such management has been neglected for the demands of the military-industrial system, & these ill effects have been reinforced by ignorance of ecology & inadequacy of traditional political thought. A major adaptive challenge faces modern states: to use their knowledge & resources for more humane, environmentally sensitive management & perhaps to achieve a kind of steady state; or to renew emphasis on short-term competitive considerations. HA

A focus on 'modern' industrialized societies obscures both the great antiquity of the state and the powerful selective pressures that have led to the dominance of interstate competition, especially warfare. In pursuit of power, elites encouraged population growth and intensified the exploitation of the natural resource base, with progressively more severe ecological impacts. Modern technology has vastly amplified the problem. Though it makes possible sophisticated environmental management, that has been neglected for the demands of the military–industrial system. These ill-effects are reinforced by ignorance of ecology and inadequacy of traditional political thought. A major adaptive challenge faces modern states: to use their knowledge and resources for more humane, environmentally sensitive management and perhaps achieve a novel kind of steady state, or to renew emphasis on short-term competitive considerations.

A major adaptive challenge faces modern states: to use their knowledge and resources for more humane, environmentally sensitive management and perhaps achieve a novel kind of steady state, or to renew emphasis on short-term competitive considerations. (Abstract amended)