As a recipient of the AHC’s 2021 Alan K. Simpson Fellowship in Western Political History, my research project delved into the intriguing world of two influential figures, James Watt and Malcolm Wallop, to shed light on their roles in shaping the anti-environmentalist movement. By examining the papers of these two key individuals, I gained valuable insights into the rhetoric and strategies employed.
During his tenure as Secretary of the Interior from 1981 to 1983, James Watt’s language and policies reflected broader trends within the New Right movement of the 1970s and 1980s. However, Watt also played a significant role in shaping future anti-environmentalist organizations, such as the Wise Use Movement of the late 1980s and 1990s, which was known for its hyper-individualist language. My research project viewed Watt as a vanguard in promoting a conservative “environmentalism” centered around deregulation and the opening of public lands. By analyzing his individual writings and correspondence, I was able to discern both his public justifications and the private motivations behind his policies.
Watt’s language and rhetorical strategies were tailored to specific audiences, revealing the nuanced nature of political communication. By comparing and contrasting his discourse to political allies, opponents, and the general public, I gained a deeper understanding of how Watt framed his policies to garner support and neutralize opposition. His letters to Reagan administration officials, press releases, and speeches provided valuable insights into the intricate patterns and strategies employed by Watt to delegitimize critics and rally support. Even when his rhetorical strategies failed, studying them shed light on his mindset and the broader forces that influenced his choices.
Examining Watt’s work with Ron Arnold, a prominent figure in the later Wise Use Movement, offered further understanding of the origins of anti-environmentalist thought. Arnold, hired by the Free Congress Research and Education Foundation to write Watt’s biography, portrayed him as a paradigm shift in environmental thought, advocating for an ecology centered on human needs. This rhetoric closely aligned with the ideology of the Wise Use Movement, which celebrated industry and exploitation as natural human interactions with the environment. Delving into Watt’s association with Arnold allows for an exploration of the intellectual and political ties between Watt and the Wise Use Movement, illuminating their shared rhetoric and motivations.
The Malcolm Wallop papers, also housed at the AHC, provided a valuable complement to the Watt collection. Wallop’s involvement in environmental and public lands politics extended well beyond Watt’s tenure, offering insights into the continuity within the anti-environmentalist movement. His attempt to introduce legislation in 1995 to restrict federal ownership of Western land mirrored the policy aims of the Sagebrush Rebellion, a movement of the late 1970s.
This anachronistic policy proposal, in contrast to contemporaneous anti-environmentalist politics advocating privatization, highlighted the complexities and evolution of the movement. Further research is necessary to fully grasp the implications of Wallop’s legislation and its relationship to the broader anti-environmentalist movement.
Within the Wallop papers, there are folders that shed light on Wallop’s involvement in committees dedicated to investigating climate change during the early 1990s. Examining these materials revealed an intriguing progression in the Republican opposition to climate science. Wallop initially expressed concern about climate change, but as time went on, his focus shifted towards the economic costs of taking action and even raised rhetorical doubts about the scientific basis of climate change. The compilation of folders related to climate change provides a wealth of information, highlighting the pivotal role they played in shaping the modern anti-environmentalist movement, which aimed to impede any measures aimed at addressing climate change.
Exploring the James Watt and Malcolm Wallop papers at the AHC has provided significant insights into the language, rhetoric, and motivations of the anti-environmentalist movement. The analysis of these documents reveals the complex strategies employed to justify policies and garner support, as well as the interconnectedness of political ideologies and environmental politics.
Post contributed by Zephaniah Fleetwood, PhD candidate, Department of History, University of California, Davis.
