Re: Re: Re: Re: Ideology and the Environment

[Michael Perelman <michael@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Yes, Jim.  For example, extensive tree planting can also modify the climate,
reversing desertification.

Jim Devine wrote:

> At 11:28 AM 11/5/01 -0600, you wrote:
> >My position is not that farming
> >practices can not and do not cause desertification, but rather that
> >this has nothing to do with the distribution of  property rights or the
> >size of farm (although I would argue that large farms and
> >monoculture is more condusive to desertification than small,
> >diversified farms.)
>
> some people blame the raising of goats and/or poorly-defined property
> rights for desertification.[*]  For example, the expansion of the Sahara is
> blamed on a combination of these. Goats eat the roots of almost every
> plant, but with poorly-defined property rights, people don't see or can't
> act on  the negative effects on the environment or the welfare of future
> generations.
>
> does this make sense?
>
> [*] NOTE: By "well-defined property rights," I don't necessarily mean
> individual property rights in land (as _laissez-faire_ economists would).
> In fact, individual property rights in land might be the wrong solution.
> Well-defined property rights might involve collective property rights where
> the community runs collective lands intelligently and democratically.
>
> Jim Devine jdevine@xxxxxxx &  http://bellarmine.lmu.edu/~jdevine
>
>
> NTMail K12 - the Mail Server for Education

--

Michael Perelman
Economics Department
California State University
Chico, CA 95929

Tel. 530-898-5321
E-Mail michael@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx