Eco-wars

Can small grassroots groups actually defeat large corporations in the political arena? Opinions differ sharply. Some see interest groups as an essential part of democratic life, while critics call them rigid, single-issue factions that slow fair political change. Many critics also argue that these groups succeed only when they ally with wealthy, powerful firms. Ronald T. Libby contends otherwise, showing that environmental, food safety, animal rights, gun control and similar organizations have workable ways to take on business interests.

Libby draws on newly released documents from five alliances of groups whose goals are largely social rather than commercial, which scholars call expressive interest groups. The book follows five campaigns: a movement against biotechnology aimed at drug manufacturers, an animal rights drive against the farming industry, an effort to curb pesticides that targeted the chemical sector, a property rights struggle pitted against environmental organizations, and a campaign against secondhand smoke directed at tobacco companies.

The research relies on previously classified files as well as interviews with activists and with the industry representatives they opposed. Libby's approach is measured rather than partisan, and the book is intended both for social scientists looking for new research directions and for advocacy groups seeking practical guidance.