The Long History of Unsustainability: Inter-Species Relations since the 1850s

Abstract

<p>Human conduct, which has led to the current ecological crisis, cannot be altered without understanding the history of inter-species relations in the global north. The conception of human primacy and blind trust in the ability of humans to control the natural world were cemented in tandem with industrialism. They have led to the unsustainable exploitation of nature that has permeated all sectors of society. Focusing on the period since the 1850s, this chapter shows how the progressive mindset has shaped human values and actions to an Anthropocene in which humans drive other species to extinction, diminish biological diversity and develop the planet into an ever ‘hotter and fuller Earth’. It first contemplates the absence of living animals in the progressive worldview as manifested in an influential mass medium, the world’s fairs. It then examines the long-standing exploitation business of Africa’s Big Five and compares it with that of Finland’s Big Five. Finally, it analyses how scientific ethos has emphasised the control of non-human species in the unsustainable methods of catching fish. The historical examination shows how practices originating from weak sustainability, with its maximum ‘sustainable’ use of animals and plants, have failed to maintain biodiversity and healthy life communities.<br /></p>