A Contract with the Earth
by Newt Gingrich, Terry Maple
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Book Summary Information
Author: Newt Gingrich, Terry MapleForeword: E. O. Wilson
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2008-09-30
ISBN: 0452289920
Number of pages: 226
Publisher: Plume
Book Reviews of A Contract with the Earth
Book Review: Feel-good eco-reading for political Conservatives
Summary: 3 Stars
This book starts with a laudable call for open-mindedness and for a middle ground of cooperation between Conservatives and Liberals, as the terms are understood in contemporary US politics. However, throughout the book this goal is severely compromised and the book ends with some close-minded, idealogical generalisations. Cooperation and problem-solving simply cannot take place if people allow their idealogies to exclude compromise. The book does offer some good ideas and is exceptional for several reasons: (1) it was apparently intended for Republicans as a positioning paper before the 2008 US election and subsequently extended with an epilogue; (2) Newt Gingrich is a well-known senior Republican; and (3) America is facing fundamentally important environmental problems in an age of radical political polarisation. The authors write: "Currently, liberal politicians operate as if they own the [environmental] issue; in their reaction, conservatives appear to disdain it. As the media overreacts to information and generates sensational headlines, mainstream American tunes out.... we are prone to... learned helplessness. We cope by doing nothing to change the situation [...and...] the problem only deepens." Environmental problems can be addressed by the "silent majority" in America through green conservatism, "a positive, entrepreneurial, market-based, solutions-oriented, mainstream environmental movement conducive to a pragmatic, nonpartisan public policy." But such a movement is in no way uniquely conservative, unless conservatism is defined as everything to the right of socialism. Who on earth is against solutions-oriented policy? Furthermore the authors' support of nuclear power (page 197) is pro-business but not conservative, because a real conservative never underestimates undesirable scenarios if they involve permanent damage to the country.
At a literal level, the book claims to call for objectivity and non-partisan cooperation at solving environmental problems. Unfortunately, this call lacks credibility. Newt Gingrich has a long partisan history. More importantly, the authors frequently lapse into simplistic partisanship by characterising liberals as doomsday environmentalists hostile to market-based solutions and lacking the common sense and ingenuity of conservatives. This is especially so in the epilogue, where the book abandons the pretence of objectivity and switches to ideological dogma. In the beginning of the book (page 13), regulation is admitted as a necessary evil. By the end of the book, regulation is simply evil. Another example article of anti-government mantras: the failure of Amtrack is uniquely due to it being government-run (this firmly held belief ignores all other factors, the failure of privatised railways of the UK and the success of government-run railways in many other OECD countries).
The book can best be understood as the authors' strong plea to conservatives (or Republicans) to let go of and be done with their disdain for environmentalism because maintaining this disdain would be bad for the earth, a missed opportunity for America and, above all, disastrous for the Republicans in future elections. The book was written in the context of the Republicans having problems at the polls and the set-back of the conservative movement. Nonetheless, the authors are usually well-informed and apparently sincere about their environmentalism. If Gingrich proves his sincerity through non-partisan actions in environmental politics, then his call for non-partisan, constructive cooperation should only be welcomed by all.
The authors occasionally sell ideas based on weak empirical data. The business case for carbon sequestration, obviously favoured by big carbon emitters, has become extremely questionable. The idea that reproductive rates stabilise as the affluence of a society increases is no longer certain (Nature, Mikko Marskyla, University of Pennsylvania). The growth of European carbon emissions from 2000 to 2004 was largely influenced by the entry of ten east-European countries to the European Union in 2002.
The chapters are informally structured around high-level themes (e.g. entrepreneurialism, philanthropy), with many interesting bits of information here and there. Regarding the contract referred to in the title, it is very general and abstract, and probably only used because of the intended association with Gingrich's "Contract with America" of 1994. All of the contract's ten articles ("commitments") are obvious: science should be objective and "sound" (amazing!), government can not solve problems alone, people should cooperate etc. None of the contract's ideas are uniquely conservative, again unless conservative is defined as everything that is not socialist. It certainly does not hurt for more people to learn about reducing, reusing and recycling.
Gingrich wants to win over Republicans. He formulates his text to be pleasing for this audience, especially by way of verbose emphasis of what they like to hear (e.g. government policies can be poor) and concise and qualified admissions about what they do not like to hear (e.g., government is necessary). He does admit that unpleasantness must be addressed (no details), but he couches this in a patriotic reminder of how Americans traditionally unite to face adversity (no details). The authors are correct that an overly pessimistic outlook will not sell: "To inspire others to achieve, we must continue to express optimism." However, optimism without clearly exemplary behaviour is worthless, and exemplary behaviour means radical change for individuals. The authors avoid spelling out the wrenching changes that this means. Surely the reader can accept something more than just feel-good.
Again and again (and again) the reader learns that limited government, tax incentives and "prizes" are better alternatives than any form of regulation. This is quite true in many areas, but dangerously unrealistic for great swaths of environmental areas such as international waters, i.e., about two thirds of the planet's surface area. The authors imply (page 194) that the havoc wreaked by trawling can be solved generally if local environmentalist groups simply group together, "purchase the trawling boats" and "buy out each trawler's business". Most local environmental groups would have difficulty buying out a local canoe rental shop and have no chance against giant fishing concerns.
Many pages of nice sounding examples are given, but nice-sounding examples are not statistics. It's a fine thing to learn that something is being done well by some organisation for some specific issue (e.g., that the State of Massachusetts "prefers" to use environmentally friendly cleaning products), but the reader usually doesn't get sufficient contextual information to know whether substantial problems are solved comprehensively. Thus the abundant examples start as inspirational but end up sounding unconvincing. Somewhere buried in the text (page 96) the authors admit that "some caution is advised, as some of these efforts may be regarded as little more than public relations devices." One heartily agrees with this warning, especially with regards to the automobile and oil corporations. The authors are irritatingly pussy-footing about criticising any specific company. If their optimistic approach excludes the possibility of pointing out failure, then it won't work.
The style is tiresome. Much is written in clichés. The following example is not exceptional: "Our environment's current state represents both a unique challenge and a golden opportunity. If we respond with the ingenuity and diligence consistent with our national heritage and our sense of duty, we will not only resolve our environmental problems, but we will also launch an unprecedented epoch of economic prosperity." Undoubtedly the experienced Gingrich also reverts to this wooden style in order to avoid the risk of bad sounding quotes out of context. The book has a lot of good things to say, but granted the style, it is fortunate that the book is short.
As The Economist has always argued, simple taxation of carbon emissions would be the most efficient answer, but that would be unacceptable for ideologues. So much for being "solution-oriented" and "pragmatic".
Summary of A Contract with the Earth
A bold rallying cry for conservative environmental leadership.
Appealing to America?s core conservative readership and defying conventional thinking, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and eminent conservationist Terry L. Maple posit that the values of conservative America are aligned with the principles of conservation and ?entrepreneurial environmentalism.? Saving the earth is not?and cannot be?a partisan issue. The authors outline a ten-point Contract with the Earth that promotes ingenuity over rhetoric, maintaining that the expansion of ?green business,? new technologies, and environmental economic incentives will be the defining opportunities for the leaders of the next generation.
An inspiring call to action, A Contract with the Earth offers a vision of the future that is both hopeful and achievable.
Appealing to America?s core conservative readership and defying conventional thinking, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and eminent conservationist Terry L. Maple posit that the values of conservative America are aligned with the principles of conservation and ?entrepreneurial environmentalism.? Saving the earth is not?and cannot be?a partisan issue. The authors outline a ten-point Contract with the Earth that promotes ingenuity over rhetoric, maintaining that the expansion of ?green business,? new technologies, and environmental economic incentives will be the defining opportunities for the leaders of the next generation.
An inspiring call to action, A Contract with the Earth offers a vision of the future that is both hopeful and achievable.
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