Democracies, change, sustainability, and transformation: historical perspectives

This article discusses the potential of a historical approach to sustainability transformations. Using environmental issues and governance structures as case studies, it first describes how historical “sustainability transformations” can be conceptualized. It then suggests that 19th-century constitu...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Andreas Fahrmeir
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2020-12-01
Series:Sustainability: Science, Practice, & Policy
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15487733.2020.1781329
Description
Summary:This article discusses the potential of a historical approach to sustainability transformations. Using environmental issues and governance structures as case studies, it first describes how historical “sustainability transformations” can be conceptualized. It then suggests that 19th-century constitutional reforms can be read as attempts at reaching fiscal sustainability, whereas some social reforms can be interpreted as attempts to render the capitalist economy sustainable. In conclusion, the article highlights that the primary value of historical approaches to sustainability transformations will not lie in models, but in encouraging more creative questions.
ISSN:1548-7733