Mere Anarchy? Canada's "Turbot War" as the Moral Regulation of Nature

Abstract

Abstract. In this paper, Canada's actions in its March 1995 turbot war Spain are examined in context of sociological theories dealing with regulation, and ecological modernization in postmodern society. I argue that Canada's actions constitute a process which I term the regulation of I argue, further, that Canada's success in defending its actions in rather than legal terms calls into question theories of risk which predict growing sub-political activity over environmental issues undermining legitimacy of state. I contend that Canada's justification of its actions demonstrates ability of state to adapt to growing environmental consciousness of citizens. I conclude that Canada's actions also may be seen as an indication that separation of nature from society which began in Enlightenment may be coming to an end. Resume. Cet article examine les actions du Canada lors de sa guerre du Turbot contre l'Espagne en mars 1995. L'analyse s'inscrit dans le cadre des theories sociologiques portant sur regulation morale, gouvernementalite et modernisation ecologique de societe post-moderne. L'aureur affirme que les actions du Canada constituent un processus qu'il nomme la regulation morale de nature. Selon liu, le succes que le Canada a obtenu en defendant ses actions sur le plan plutot que legal remet en question les theories du risque. Ces theories predisent que les enjeux environnementaux entrainent une activite per-politique croissante qui restreint legitimite de l'etat. L'article demontre, qu'au contraire, l'etat peut s'adapter a conscience environnementale grandissante de ses citoyens. La justification morale que le Canada a reussie a etablir pour defendre ses actions en serait un exemple. L'auteur conclut que les actions du Canada peuvent aussi laisser deviner fin de separation entre nature et societe, separation qui existe depuis les Lumieres. -- Mere Anarchy is loosed upon world, blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere ceremony of is drowned; best lack all conviction, while worst Are full of intensity. -- W.B. Yeats, The Second Coming Introduction On 9 March 1995, Canada took unprecedented action of using force to seize a Spanish fishing trawler and its crew on high seas outside even 200 mile fishery protection limit. outrage from Spain was intense. Even normally placid European Community responded by describing Canada's boarding and seizure of Spanish vessels fishing in these international water as acting in violation of International Law of Sea (CBC Radio News, 6 March 1995) and declared that Canada was engaging in open piracy (CBC T.V. News, 7 March 1995). Indeed, from tenor of Spanish and European Community statements Canada's actions would appear to constitute (to borrow Yeats's phrase) a situation in which mere anarchy was loosed upon world. Furthermore, Canadian attacks were directed by Canada's then Fisheries Minister, Honourable Brian Tobin, with a level of passionate intensity usually not associated with Canadian national character, and certainly not associated with Canada's traditional international role of world peacekeeper. Under such circumstances, it might seem as though Canada's innocence was drowned. This paper will address, from a combination of sociological perspectives, some of ways in which Canada's action in so-called turbot war can be understood, not as mere anarchy, but as an attempt by a liberal democratic state to use mass communication media to win public opinion. It will be argued that Canada's statements and actions during that period reflect a perspective on role of state, nature of governmentality, and conception of nature that together constitute a form of moral regulation. …