The Politics of Animal Rights
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The Politics of Animal Rights Robert Garner Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK. E-mail: [email protected]
This article documents and analyses the key developments in British animal protection politics. It argues that there is a strong case for the philosophical validity of at least part of the animal rights position. In addition, the philosophy of animal rights has had a significant influence on the reinvigoration of the animal protection movement. Despite this, it is suggested that the achievement of animal rights objectives is currently unrealistic, and animal welfare, despite its weaknesses, remains the underlying justification for legislation protecting animals. Moreover, animal welfare is a sufficiently flexible concept to offer the best hope for future reforms, and this fact is recognized by most parts of the animal protection movement. British Politics (2008) 3, 110–119. doi:10.1057/palgrave.bp.4200080 Keywords: animal rights; animal welfare; ethics; politics; Britain
Introduction In recent years, the protection of animals has been an, intermittingly, important issue in British politics. Occasionally, as during the dispute over live exports in the 1980s and the more recent progress through Parliament of the, ultimately successful, bill to ban fox hunting, the protection of animals has been at the top of the news agenda. Usually, however, it bubbles under the surface as an issue that many voters feel strongly about but which never decides their electoral choice. Animal welfare has been a topic of public and legislative concern since the 19th century. For much of the 20th century, however, it remained a peripheral and neglected issue. This began to change in the 1960s. As both a cause and effect of the renewal of interest, a reinvigorated animal protection movement emerged, in Britain and elsewhere, to challenge the various ways in which animals are exploited. This reinvigorated movement is distinct in terms of both means and ends. The concept of animal rights, although not new, has had a much bigger influence, and this has been accompanied by an emphasis on grass roots campaigning and, at the extremes, a willingness to participate in, sometimes illegal and violent, forms of direct action. In reality, since the creation of the first piece of animal welfare legislation in 1822 (which made it an offence to wantonly and cruelly beat, abuse or ill-treat a
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wide range of domesticated animals including horses and cattle), there have been numerous animal welfare statutes and a complex administrative structure has grown up to enforce them. The need for such an institutional and legislative framework is understandable given the important role played by animals in a country such as Britain. Animals are kept as pets, are sources of entertainment and clothing, and co-exist with us in the wild. The two most significant uses of animals are as food, and for scientific research and toxicity testing. Millions of animals are rea
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