ABSTRACT
Bythisstageinourargumentwehaveoutlinedthebasicfeaturesofpolitical ecology,andsoofthetaskofthepoliticalecologist.Forwhileouraccountof politicalecologyhasbeendevelopedagainstthebackgroundofenvironmental threats,theiranalysisintermsofthelogicofthetragedyofthecommons pointstotheroleandplaceofpoliticsmoregenerally.Politicsshouldbeseen astheguardianofthosebackgroundconditionswhich,protectedfromthe ravagesofforegrounddecision-makinginthestateofnature,providethe arenaforthekindoforganisedandsustainablelifeinwhichindividualfreedom becomesaboonandnotathreattoall.Thismovefromapurelyenvironmental focustothebroaderecologyofthebackgrounddoesnotinvolvean
·abandonmentorweakeningofourenvironmentalconcerns.Itis,rather,a wayofdeepeningthoseconcernsbyintegratingthemwithissuesofmaterial securityandsocialjustice-anintegrationforcedonusassoonasweabandon Locke'smistaken,ifhistoricallyunderstandable,faithinenvironmental plenitudeoverscarcity.Itwouldbeasadthingindeedifthemisguidedpursuit ofenvironmental"purity"preventedusfromuncoveringanddevelopingthe ecologicalpromiseofthatpoliticswhichliesattheheartofthemodemworld.
