Can Liberal Democracy Cope with Scarcity?

Abstract

Several common arguments claiming that liberal democratic regimes are incapable of dealing with environmental scarcity are examined and found wanting. Markets appear to be capable of allocating non-renewable resources over time in a satisfactory manner, and appropriate policies are available to manage renewable resources. While there is no guarantee that such regimes will succeed, their fundamental ideologies and institutions do not preclude adequate responses to ecological problems-assuming that solutions are possible in principle.