Sovereign Citizens and Constrained Consumers: Why Sustainability Requires Limits on Choice
There is resistance to policies that would reduce overall consumption levels to promote sustainability. In part, this resistance is aided by the economic concept of consumer sovereignty (CS) and its presumption that choice promotes wellbeing. We investigate the concept of consumer sovereignty in the...
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White Horse Press
2013
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| Acceso en línea: | https://repository.urosario.edu.co/handle/10336/26977 https://doi.org/10.3197/096327113X13528328798273 |
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ir-10336-269772022-05-02T12:37:21Z Sovereign Citizens and Constrained Consumers: Why Sustainability Requires Limits on Choice Ciudadanos soberanos y consumidores restringidos: por qué la sostenibilidad requiere límites en la elección Menzel, Susanne Green , Tom L. Consumer sovereignty Decision-making traits Deliberative decision-making Human impact on ecosystems Ignorance Uncertainty There is resistance to policies that would reduce overall consumption levels to promote sustainability. In part, this resistance is aided by the economic concept of consumer sovereignty (CS) and its presumption that choice promotes wellbeing. We investigate the concept of consumer sovereignty in the context of deepening concerns about sustainability and scrutinise whether the two concepts are compatible. We draw on new findings in psychology on human decision-making traits; we take into account increasing awareness about human dependencies on 'functioning' ecosystems and uncertainties on how ecosystems, human activities and human wellbeing are interlinked. We conclude that commitment to the concept of consumer sovereignty is incompatible with sustainability due to human characteristics, the difficult-to-predict behaviour of ecological systems and ignorance about the impact of human action on natural systems. We propose that the choice-set of available goods and services on markets should be constrained when consumption patterns can be linked to degradation of services provided by nature when those services are seen as crucial for human wellbeing. We advocate constraining the available choice-set through established governmental institutions aided by deliberative processes that engage members of the general public. Finally, we acknowledge that such processes are imperfect; nevertheless, we foresee that they will be essential for fostering wise decision-making and moving towards sustainability. 2013-02-01 2020-08-19T14:40:39Z info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion ISSN: 0963-2719 EISSN: 1752-7015 https://repository.urosario.edu.co/handle/10336/26977 https://doi.org/10.3197/096327113X13528328798273 eng info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess application/pdf White Horse Press instname:Universidad del Rosario |
| institution |
EdocUR - Universidad del Rosario |
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DSpace |
| language |
Inglés (English) |
| topic |
Consumer sovereignty Decision-making traits Deliberative decision-making Human impact on ecosystems Ignorance Uncertainty |
| spellingShingle |
Consumer sovereignty Decision-making traits Deliberative decision-making Human impact on ecosystems Ignorance Uncertainty Menzel, Susanne Green , Tom L. Sovereign Citizens and Constrained Consumers: Why Sustainability Requires Limits on Choice |
| description |
There is resistance to policies that would reduce overall consumption levels to promote sustainability. In part, this resistance is aided by the economic concept of consumer sovereignty (CS) and its presumption that choice promotes wellbeing. We investigate the concept of consumer sovereignty in the context of deepening concerns about sustainability and scrutinise whether the two concepts are compatible. We draw on new findings in psychology on human decision-making traits; we take into account increasing awareness about human dependencies on 'functioning' ecosystems and uncertainties on how ecosystems, human activities and human wellbeing are interlinked. We conclude that commitment to the concept of consumer sovereignty is incompatible with sustainability due to human characteristics, the difficult-to-predict behaviour of ecological systems and ignorance about the impact of human action on natural systems. We propose that the choice-set of available goods and services on markets should be constrained when consumption patterns can be linked to degradation of services provided by nature when those services are seen as crucial for human wellbeing. We advocate constraining the available choice-set through established governmental institutions aided by deliberative processes that engage members of the general public. Finally, we acknowledge that such processes are imperfect; nevertheless, we foresee that they will be essential for fostering wise decision-making and moving towards sustainability. |
| format |
Artículo (Article) |
| author |
Menzel, Susanne Green , Tom L. |
| author_facet |
Menzel, Susanne Green , Tom L. |
| author_sort |
Menzel, Susanne |
| title |
Sovereign Citizens and Constrained Consumers: Why Sustainability Requires Limits on Choice |
| title_short |
Sovereign Citizens and Constrained Consumers: Why Sustainability Requires Limits on Choice |
| title_full |
Sovereign Citizens and Constrained Consumers: Why Sustainability Requires Limits on Choice |
| title_fullStr |
Sovereign Citizens and Constrained Consumers: Why Sustainability Requires Limits on Choice |
| title_full_unstemmed |
Sovereign Citizens and Constrained Consumers: Why Sustainability Requires Limits on Choice |
| title_sort |
sovereign citizens and constrained consumers: why sustainability requires limits on choice |
| publisher |
White Horse Press |
| publishDate |
2013 |
| url |
https://repository.urosario.edu.co/handle/10336/26977 https://doi.org/10.3197/096327113X13528328798273 |
| _version_ |
1740172302561050624 |
| score |
12,131701 |