Abstract
The exploitation of energy sources has been an essential ingredient to process of economic growth in United States. But nation's enviable abundance of natural resources has stalled serious consideration of consequences of and development of energy. Endowed with plentiful domestic fuels and with access to foreign sources, its citizens have expected their energy supplies to last forever. By ignoring costs of extracting and processing energy over years, market price has remained artificially low. But in long run, abundance had a counterpart in squandering of resources and their inefficient use. The United States has been one of most wasteful societies precisely because it also was one of most affluent. An unabashed faith in abundance and belief that energy was a commodity to meet ends of economic growth guided national energy policy, especially before turn of century. That pro-exploitation perspective also was grounded in notion that energy development was essentially a private enterprise. Beginning in late nineteenth century, emerging conservation movement began to modify pro-exploitation view, and wise use of resources came to be perceived as necessary for sustained economic growth. Environmental protection received little attention, however, and government regulatory policies tended to be industry-specific rather than broad in scope. While wise use programs attempted to curb rampant squandering of resources, conservation policies of early and mid-twentieth century also challenged energy development as a private enterprise. The debate over public versus private control and development of resources raised serious questions about future role of government in formulation of energy policy. ' With rise of movement in 1960s and fear of energy scarcities in 1970s a major critique of pro-exploitation view took place. The convergence of movement and energy crisis sparked a debate over what some scholars called the energyenvironmental-balance issue-the question of whether energy needs and goals were compatible. Support for wise use was changing to a broader concern for environmental quality.
Full Text
Topics from this Paper
Wise Use
Future Role Of Government
Era Of Fossil Fuels
Formulation Of Energy Policy
Exploitation Of Energy Sources
+ Show 5 more
Create a personalized feed of these topics
Get StartedTalk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Similar Papers
Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society (1998-)
Oct 1, 2022
Alternatives: Global, Local, Political
Apr 1, 1998
Land Economics
Nov 1, 1989
Aug 2, 2022
Reception: Texts, Readers, Audiences, History
Jul 10, 2014
Utah Historical Quarterly
Jan 1, 2023
Social Service Review
Sep 1, 2020
Jun 27, 2022
Feminist Studies
Jan 1, 2013
Hispanic American Historical Review
Feb 1, 2013
Materials Today: Proceedings
Jan 1, 2022
Register of the Kentucky Historical Society
Jan 1, 2018
Bustan: The Middle East Book Review
Dec 1, 2015
Environmental Review
Environmental Review
Oct 1, 1989
Environmental Review
Oct 1, 1989
Environmental Review
Oct 1, 1989
Environmental Review
Sep 1, 1989
Environmental Review
Sep 1, 1989
Environmental Review
Sep 1, 1989
Environmental Review
Sep 1, 1989
Environmental Review
Sep 1, 1989
Environmental Review
Sep 1, 1989