Political Consumerism as a Means in Influencing Energy Policy and Solving Environmental Problems the Case of Finland in 2007-2016

Ilkka Ruostetsaari

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijeee.20180303.11

| Peer-Reviewed

Political Consumerism as a Means in Influencing Energy Policy and Solving Environmental Problems the Case of Finland in 2007-2016

Ilkka Ruostetsaari

Published in International Journal of Economy, Energy and Environment (Volume 3, Issue 3)

Received: 17 August 2018 Accepted: 6 September 2018 Published: 8 October 2018

Views: Downloads:

Download PDF

Share This Article

Twitter
Linked In
Facebook

Abstract

Purpose of this study was to analyse, the extent to which political consumerism functioned in Finland as a mode of citizens’ political participation in the energy policy-making and in solving environmental problems caused by energy production and consumption. Political consumerism, that is, the consumption choices based on political, ethical, or environmental discretion, may be a substitute for conventional political participation, which is increasingly perceived as less efficient for solving societal problems. Finland and energy policy are particularly suitable venues for testing the role of political consumerism as a mode of political involvement for several reasons. For instance, popular support for political consumerism has been in Finland one of the highest by international standards together with other Nordic countries, Switzerland, and Germany, while energy has been a policy sector where citizens’ involvement is more limited than in the case of most other policy domains. The study focused on the period 2007-2016 which was characterized by the decreasing economic development and weakening legitimacy of the political system. Methodologically, the study was based on postal surveys conducted in 2007 and 2016 among a random sample representing 18 - 75-year old citizens. The findings of the study indicate that the citizenry ranked the conventional political participation (voting in elections) as well as collective modes of political consumerism (participatory political consumerism, discursive political consumerism) clearly less useful devices to influence energy policy than all individual forms of political consumerism (lifestyle politics, boycotting, boycotting). On the other hand, making use of various forms of political participation in energy policy-making accumulated for the same people. Despite the fact that political consumers were more dissatisfied with citizens’ involvement in energy policy-making than non-political consumers, they perceived voting in elections as a more useful device in influencing energy policy than non-political consumers. Moreover, the effects of prolonged recession and the election funding scandal on the endorsement of political consumerism in the context of energy policy have remained minor. This can be explained by that as the recession reduced citizens’ economic resources their consumption choices have based likely more on the economic consumerism than political consumerism that stresses more post-materialistic values. This was seen especially in that the endorsement of all devices in influencing energy policy decreased after 2007, excluding those that may provide economic benefits, such as asking for competitive tenders from electricity companies.

Published in	International Journal of Economy, Energy and Environment (Volume 3, Issue 3)
DOI	10.11648/j.ijeee.20180303.11
Page(s)	21-31
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2018. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Political Consumerism, Civic Involvement, Environmental Problems, Energy Policy, Consumption Choices

References

[1]	R. J. Dalton, R.J., Democratic Challenge, Democratic Choices: The Erosion of Political Support in Advanced Industrial Democracies, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004.
[2]	A. Follesdahl, “Political Consumerism as Chance and Challenge,” in Politics, Products, and Markets. Exploring Political Consumerism Past and Present, M. Micheletti, A. Follesdahl and D. Stolle D., Eds. New Brunswick: Transaction Publishers, 2006, pp. 3-20.
[3]	D. Stolle D and M. Hooghe, “Consumers as Political Participants? Shifts in Political Action Repertoires in Western Societies, in Politics, Products, and Markets. Exploring Political Consumerism Past and Present, M. Micheletti, A. Follesdahl and D. Stolle D., Eds. New Brunswick: Transaction Publishers, 2006, pp. 265-288.
[4]	M. Paterson, Consumption and Everyday Life. London: Routledge, 2006.
[5]	D. Stolle and M. Micheletti, M., Political Consumerism. Global Responsibility in Action. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2013.
[6]	M. Micheletti Political Virtue and Shopping. Individuals, Consumerism, and Collective Action. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2003.
[7]	J. E. Chubb, J.E., 1983. Interest Groups and the Bureaucracy. The Politics of Energy. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1983, pp. 258-259.
[8]	A. Prontera, A., Energy Policy: Concepts, Actors, Instruments and Recent Developments. World Political Science Review, 5(1), 2009, p. 23.
[9]	I. Ruostetsaari, Changing Regulation and Governance of Finnish Energy Policy-Making: New Rules but Old Elites? Review of Policy Research, 27(3), 2010, 273-297.
[10]	I. Ruostetsaari, Stealth Democracy, Elitism, and Citizenship in Finnish Energy Policy. Energy Research & Social Science, 34, 2017. 93-103.
[11]	T. Litmanen and M. Kojo, Not Excluding Power: the Dynamics and Stability of Nuclear Power Policy Arrangements in Finland. Journal of Integrative Environmental Sciences, 8(3), 2011, 171-194.
[12]	M. Rask, Expanding Expertise in Science and Technology Decision Making. Futura, 27(3), 2008, 76-81.
[13]	D. Rucht, D., 1997. “The Impact of Anti-Nuclear Power Movements in International Comparison”, in Resistance to New Technology. Nuclear Power, Information technology and Biotechnology, M. Bauer, Ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1997, pp. 277-292.
[14]	I. Ruostetsaari, Governance and Political Consumerism in Finnish Energy Policy-Making. Energy Policy, 37, 2009, 102-110.
[15]	S. J. Pharr and R. D. Putnam, Eds., Disaffected Democracies. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2000.
[16]	J.A.J. Evans, Voters and Voting. An Introduction. London: Sage, 2004.
[17]	P. Norris, Democratic Deficit. Critical Citizens Revisited. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2011, pp. 220-221.
[18]	E. Hague and M. Harrop, Comparative Government and Politics. An Introduction, 9th ed, Basingstoke: Palgrave, 2013, 164.
[19]	E. Kestilä-Kekkonen, “Puoluedemokratian haasteet” [The Challenges of Political Party Democracy], in Politiikan muutos, T. Forsberg and T. Raunio, Eds. Tampere: Vastapaino, 2014, 49-51.
[20]	M. Kuisma and T. Keskisarja. T., Erehtymättömät. Tarina suuresta pankkisodasta ja liikepankeista Suomen kohtaloissa [The Unmistakable. The Story of Great Bank War and Commercial Banks in the Fate of Finland]. Helsinki: WSOY, 2012, 389, 398.
[21]	M. Pohjola, Taantuma ei ollut ennätyksellisen syvä [The Recession was not unprecedently deep] Helsingin Sanomat,1 Dec, 2010.
[22]	Helsingin Sanomat. Budjetissa ei vielä jaeta talouskasvun hedelmiä [Budget Do not Yet Share the Fruits of Economic Growth]. Helsingin Sanomat, 27Aug, Sect. A10, 2017.
[23]	OECD, Social spending stays at historically at historical high levels in many OECD countries. http://www.oecd.org/els/soc/OECD2016-Social-Expenditure-Update.pdf, 2016. Accessed 15th Aug. 2018.
[24]	A. Kantola, ”Tyhjää vai täyttä julkista elämää?” [The Empty or Full Public Life?], in Hetken hallitsijat, A. Kantola Ed. Helsinki: Gaudeamus, 2011, 165.
[25]	S. Borg Ed., Muutosvaalit 2011 [Changes in Election of 2011]. Helsinki: Oikeusministeriö, 2012.
[26]	I. Ruostetsaari, Elite Recruitment and Coherence of the Inner Core of Power in Finland. Changing Patterns during the Economic Crises of 1991-2011. Lanham: Lexington Books, 2015.
[27]	J. Goul Andersen and M. Tobiasen, “Who Are These Political Consumers Anyway?”, in Politics, Products, and Markets. Exploring Political Consumerism Past and Present, M. Micheletti, A. Follesdahl and D. Stolle D., Eds. New Brunswick: Transaction Publishers, 2006, p. 208.
[28]	W. L. Bennett, “Branded Political Communication: Lifestyle Politics, Logo Campaigns, and the Rise of Global Citizenship”, in Politics, Products, and Markets. Exploring Political Consumerism Past and Present, M. Micheletti, A. Follesdahl A. and D. Stolle, Eds. New Brunswick: Transaction Publishers, 2006, pp. 102-103.
[29]	Statistics Finland, Statistical Year Book of Finland, Helsinki: Statistics Finland, 2008.
[30]	Statistics Finland, Statistical Year Book of Finland, Helsinki: Statistics Finland, 2016.
[31]	V. Pitkänen, V. and J. Westinen, Miksi hallitukset kompuroivat? [Why Do the Governments Blunder?]. Helsinki: e2, 2016.
[32]	I. Ruostetsaari, Kansalaisten ja energiaeliitin Suomen energiapolitiikkaa koskevat asenteet vuosina 2007-2016: kuilu vai konsensus? [Attitudes of the citizenry and the energy elite on the Finnish energy policy from 2007 to 2016: a gap or consensus?] Politiikka, 60 (1), 2018, 19-37.
[33]	J. R. Hibbing and E. Theiss-Morse, Stealth Democracy. Americans’ Beliefs about How Government Should Work. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2005.
[34]	P. Rosanvallon, Légitimité démocratique. Impartialité, réflexivité, proximité [Democratic Legitimacy. Impartiality, Reflexivity, Proximity]. Points Essais : Le Seuil, 2008.

Cite This Article

Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Ilkka Ruostetsaari. (2018). Political Consumerism as a Means in Influencing Energy Policy and Solving Environmental Problems the Case of Finland in 2007-2016. International Journal of Economy, Energy and Environment, 3(3), 21-31. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijeee.20180303.11

Copy | Download

ACS Style

Ilkka Ruostetsaari. Political Consumerism as a Means in Influencing Energy Policy and Solving Environmental Problems the Case of Finland in 2007-2016. Int. J. Econ. Energy Environ. 2018, 3(3), 21-31. doi: 10.11648/j.ijeee.20180303.11

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Ilkka Ruostetsaari. Political Consumerism as a Means in Influencing Energy Policy and Solving Environmental Problems the Case of Finland in 2007-2016. Int J Econ Energy Environ. 2018;3(3):21-31. doi: 10.11648/j.ijeee.20180303.11

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ijeee.20180303.11,
  author = {Ilkka Ruostetsaari},
  title = {Political Consumerism as a Means in Influencing Energy Policy and Solving Environmental Problems the Case of Finland in 2007-2016},
  journal = {International Journal of Economy, Energy and Environment},
  volume = {3},
  number = {3},
  pages = {21-31},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijeee.20180303.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijeee.20180303.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijeee.20180303.11},
  abstract = {Purpose of this study was to analyse, the extent to which political consumerism functioned in Finland as a mode of citizens’ political participation in the energy policy-making and in solving environmental problems caused by energy production and consumption. Political consumerism, that is, the consumption choices based on political, ethical, or environmental discretion, may be a substitute for conventional political participation, which is increasingly perceived as less efficient for solving societal problems. Finland and energy policy are particularly suitable venues for testing the role of political consumerism as a mode of political involvement for several reasons. For instance, popular support for political consumerism has been in Finland one of the highest by international standards together with other Nordic countries, Switzerland, and Germany, while energy has been a policy sector where citizens’ involvement is more limited than in the case of most other policy domains. The study focused on the period 2007-2016 which was characterized by the decreasing economic development and weakening legitimacy of the political system. Methodologically, the study was based on postal surveys conducted in 2007 and 2016 among a random sample representing 18 - 75-year old citizens. The findings of the study indicate that the citizenry ranked the conventional political participation (voting in elections) as well as collective modes of political consumerism (participatory political consumerism, discursive political consumerism) clearly less useful devices to influence energy policy than all individual forms of political consumerism (lifestyle politics, boycotting, boycotting). On the other hand, making use of various forms of political participation in energy policy-making accumulated for the same people. Despite the fact that political consumers were more dissatisfied with citizens’ involvement in energy policy-making than non-political consumers, they perceived voting in elections as a more useful device in influencing energy policy than non-political consumers. Moreover, the effects of prolonged recession and the election funding scandal on the endorsement of political consumerism in the context of energy policy have remained minor. This can be explained by that as the recession reduced citizens’ economic resources their consumption choices have based likely more on the economic consumerism than political consumerism that stresses more post-materialistic values. This was seen especially in that the endorsement of all devices in influencing energy policy decreased after 2007, excluding those that may provide economic benefits, such as asking for competitive tenders from electricity companies.},
 year = {2018}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Political Consumerism as a Means in Influencing Energy Policy and Solving Environmental Problems the Case of Finland in 2007-2016
AU  - Ilkka Ruostetsaari
Y1  - 2018/10/08
PY  - 2018
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijeee.20180303.11
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijeee.20180303.11
T2  - International Journal of Economy, Energy and Environment
JF  - International Journal of Economy, Energy and Environment
JO  - International Journal of Economy, Energy and Environment
SP  - 21
EP  - 31
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2575-5021
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijeee.20180303.11
AB  - Purpose of this study was to analyse, the extent to which political consumerism functioned in Finland as a mode of citizens’ political participation in the energy policy-making and in solving environmental problems caused by energy production and consumption. Political consumerism, that is, the consumption choices based on political, ethical, or environmental discretion, may be a substitute for conventional political participation, which is increasingly perceived as less efficient for solving societal problems. Finland and energy policy are particularly suitable venues for testing the role of political consumerism as a mode of political involvement for several reasons. For instance, popular support for political consumerism has been in Finland one of the highest by international standards together with other Nordic countries, Switzerland, and Germany, while energy has been a policy sector where citizens’ involvement is more limited than in the case of most other policy domains. The study focused on the period 2007-2016 which was characterized by the decreasing economic development and weakening legitimacy of the political system. Methodologically, the study was based on postal surveys conducted in 2007 and 2016 among a random sample representing 18 - 75-year old citizens. The findings of the study indicate that the citizenry ranked the conventional political participation (voting in elections) as well as collective modes of political consumerism (participatory political consumerism, discursive political consumerism) clearly less useful devices to influence energy policy than all individual forms of political consumerism (lifestyle politics, boycotting, boycotting). On the other hand, making use of various forms of political participation in energy policy-making accumulated for the same people. Despite the fact that political consumers were more dissatisfied with citizens’ involvement in energy policy-making than non-political consumers, they perceived voting in elections as a more useful device in influencing energy policy than non-political consumers. Moreover, the effects of prolonged recession and the election funding scandal on the endorsement of political consumerism in the context of energy policy have remained minor. This can be explained by that as the recession reduced citizens’ economic resources their consumption choices have based likely more on the economic consumerism than political consumerism that stresses more post-materialistic values. This was seen especially in that the endorsement of all devices in influencing energy policy decreased after 2007, excluding those that may provide economic benefits, such as asking for competitive tenders from electricity companies.
VL  - 3
IS  - 3
ER  -

Copy | Download

Author Information

Ilkka Ruostetsaari

Faculty of Management, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland

Download PDF

Sections

Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Ilkka Ruostetsaari. (2018). Political Consumerism as a Means in Influencing Energy Policy and Solving Environmental Problems the Case of Finland in 2007-2016. International Journal of Economy, Energy and Environment, 3(3), 21-31. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijeee.20180303.11

Copy | Download

ACS Style

Ilkka Ruostetsaari. Political Consumerism as a Means in Influencing Energy Policy and Solving Environmental Problems the Case of Finland in 2007-2016. Int. J. Econ. Energy Environ. 2018, 3(3), 21-31. doi: 10.11648/j.ijeee.20180303.11

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Ilkka Ruostetsaari. Political Consumerism as a Means in Influencing Energy Policy and Solving Environmental Problems the Case of Finland in 2007-2016. Int J Econ Energy Environ. 2018;3(3):21-31. doi: 10.11648/j.ijeee.20180303.11

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ijeee.20180303.11,
  author = {Ilkka Ruostetsaari},
  title = {Political Consumerism as a Means in Influencing Energy Policy and Solving Environmental Problems the Case of Finland in 2007-2016},
  journal = {International Journal of Economy, Energy and Environment},
  volume = {3},
  number = {3},
  pages = {21-31},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijeee.20180303.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijeee.20180303.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijeee.20180303.11},
  abstract = {Purpose of this study was to analyse, the extent to which political consumerism functioned in Finland as a mode of citizens’ political participation in the energy policy-making and in solving environmental problems caused by energy production and consumption. Political consumerism, that is, the consumption choices based on political, ethical, or environmental discretion, may be a substitute for conventional political participation, which is increasingly perceived as less efficient for solving societal problems. Finland and energy policy are particularly suitable venues for testing the role of political consumerism as a mode of political involvement for several reasons. For instance, popular support for political consumerism has been in Finland one of the highest by international standards together with other Nordic countries, Switzerland, and Germany, while energy has been a policy sector where citizens’ involvement is more limited than in the case of most other policy domains. The study focused on the period 2007-2016 which was characterized by the decreasing economic development and weakening legitimacy of the political system. Methodologically, the study was based on postal surveys conducted in 2007 and 2016 among a random sample representing 18 - 75-year old citizens. The findings of the study indicate that the citizenry ranked the conventional political participation (voting in elections) as well as collective modes of political consumerism (participatory political consumerism, discursive political consumerism) clearly less useful devices to influence energy policy than all individual forms of political consumerism (lifestyle politics, boycotting, boycotting). On the other hand, making use of various forms of political participation in energy policy-making accumulated for the same people. Despite the fact that political consumers were more dissatisfied with citizens’ involvement in energy policy-making than non-political consumers, they perceived voting in elections as a more useful device in influencing energy policy than non-political consumers. Moreover, the effects of prolonged recession and the election funding scandal on the endorsement of political consumerism in the context of energy policy have remained minor. This can be explained by that as the recession reduced citizens’ economic resources their consumption choices have based likely more on the economic consumerism than political consumerism that stresses more post-materialistic values. This was seen especially in that the endorsement of all devices in influencing energy policy decreased after 2007, excluding those that may provide economic benefits, such as asking for competitive tenders from electricity companies.},
 year = {2018}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Political Consumerism as a Means in Influencing Energy Policy and Solving Environmental Problems the Case of Finland in 2007-2016
AU  - Ilkka Ruostetsaari
Y1  - 2018/10/08
PY  - 2018
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijeee.20180303.11
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijeee.20180303.11
T2  - International Journal of Economy, Energy and Environment
JF  - International Journal of Economy, Energy and Environment
JO  - International Journal of Economy, Energy and Environment
SP  - 21
EP  - 31
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2575-5021
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijeee.20180303.11
AB  - Purpose of this study was to analyse, the extent to which political consumerism functioned in Finland as a mode of citizens’ political participation in the energy policy-making and in solving environmental problems caused by energy production and consumption. Political consumerism, that is, the consumption choices based on political, ethical, or environmental discretion, may be a substitute for conventional political participation, which is increasingly perceived as less efficient for solving societal problems. Finland and energy policy are particularly suitable venues for testing the role of political consumerism as a mode of political involvement for several reasons. For instance, popular support for political consumerism has been in Finland one of the highest by international standards together with other Nordic countries, Switzerland, and Germany, while energy has been a policy sector where citizens’ involvement is more limited than in the case of most other policy domains. The study focused on the period 2007-2016 which was characterized by the decreasing economic development and weakening legitimacy of the political system. Methodologically, the study was based on postal surveys conducted in 2007 and 2016 among a random sample representing 18 - 75-year old citizens. The findings of the study indicate that the citizenry ranked the conventional political participation (voting in elections) as well as collective modes of political consumerism (participatory political consumerism, discursive political consumerism) clearly less useful devices to influence energy policy than all individual forms of political consumerism (lifestyle politics, boycotting, boycotting). On the other hand, making use of various forms of political participation in energy policy-making accumulated for the same people. Despite the fact that political consumers were more dissatisfied with citizens’ involvement in energy policy-making than non-political consumers, they perceived voting in elections as a more useful device in influencing energy policy than non-political consumers. Moreover, the effects of prolonged recession and the election funding scandal on the endorsement of political consumerism in the context of energy policy have remained minor. This can be explained by that as the recession reduced citizens’ economic resources their consumption choices have based likely more on the economic consumerism than political consumerism that stresses more post-materialistic values. This was seen especially in that the endorsement of all devices in influencing energy policy decreased after 2007, excluding those that may provide economic benefits, such as asking for competitive tenders from electricity companies.
VL  - 3
IS  - 3
ER  -

Copy | Download