ABSTRACT
This chapter emerges directly from earlier efforts to examine the influence of the environment on democracy. The dependent variables are six in number, and reflect environmental conditions throughout the world. These are: deforestation, air quality, soil erosion by water, protected land area, freshwater availability, and soil erosion by chemicals. The independent variables are indices of democracy plus whatever controls are theoretically suggested in order to obtain conservative estimates of the impact of democracy on the environment. Even if many of the peasantry in rural locations do not vote, the possibilities for demonstrations, squatting or other headline-commanding behavior might be sufficient to allow deforestation on a massive scale to satisfy the land-poor. The stemming of soil erosion is a proactive process requiring physical and bureaucratic infrastructure, and probably large-scale funding, especially after significant deforestation already has occurred.
