Veganism is more popular among younger generations who tend to favor left-leaning parties. But concern for animals is not exclusively left-wing. Ideological speaking, concepts like animal rights are compatible with positions across the political spectrum. Many Libertarians and Christian conservatives also demand an end to the maltreatment of animals. A cross-partisan political movement for animals that harnesses broad support will prove vastly more effective in consolidating animal-protective measures into the legal system.
DAVID OLROYD: Animal advocates reflect a diverse group. As well cropping-up in all demographics of age, gender, class, and nationality, those interested in animal welfare issues (and vegans more generally) also vary by political orientation. This can often be surprising to those who assume animal-loving vegans are always left-wing, perhaps because these concerns are often bundled together with the environmentalist movement.
Veganism is more popular among younger generations who tend to favour left-leaning parties and this can give rise to a presumption that animal advocacy itself is stereotypically a left-wing concern too. But concern for animals is not exclusively left-wing. Ideological speaking, concepts like animal rights are compatible with positions across the political spectrum: I know a number of libertarians and Christian conservatives who have demanded an end to the maltreatment of animals. The trouble is the stereotype of animal welfare being a left-leaning pastime has the potential to do prodigious harm to efforts to bring in greater legal protection for animals…
Regardless of whether one cares about animal welfare or animal rights in general, or one has a specific cause to champion, the animal advocacy movement has two goals: first, introducing bolder laws that offer better protection for animals; and second, preventing these laws from being revoked. The first step means pushing certain policies north from radical to conceivable to acceptable and into the politically contested window so that they are featured in party election campaigns.
The second step is to then push these policies further north out of the politically contested space by cementing them into law, to the point that revoking them is unthinkable for the mainstream parties. As occurred with universal suffrage, bolder animal-protective measures should be ‘depoliticised’ in this sense by functioning as an everyday part of the legal and political system in place. I suggest that Conservative politicians are vital for achieving both goals…
If the stereotype of animal-loving vegans translates into a general portrayal of animal-protective laws as left-wing, then we could witness new partisan sorting. Some left-wing voters might accept animal advocacy into their list of supported causes, whereas right-wing partisans may adopt a political stance of rejecting these laws… A partisan framing of animal-protective laws would likely alienate more right-wing voters than it would attract left-wing ones…
Both animal advocacy and veganism continue to grow as political movements in the UK and abroad, and how such movements are portrayed in the media matters a great deal for emerging discussion. If legislative gains for animals are to prove long-lasting, then left-wing parties shouldn’t acquire issue ownership of animal welfare and rights. Conservative animal advocates are very important, and there is no reason for their support to be muted…
A cross-partisan political movement for animals that harnesses broad support will prove vastly more effective in consolidating animal-protective measures into our legal system precisely because it can avoid the trappings of partisan sorting. Given the British public’s widespread support for addressing the mistreatment of animals, there is good potential to develop a broad coalition for bolder animal-protective laws in Parliament. This means getting Conservative politicians on board whenever and wherever feasible. SOURCE…
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