Veganism as political solidarity: Beyond ‘ethical veganism’

Abstract

Veganism is commonly described as the attempt to avoid, as far as possible, the exploitation and consumption of animals and animal products. While some people choose the plant-based diet associated with veganism for health or other self-interested reasons, the majority of philosophical work on the topic has been devoted to discussion of the ethical justification of veganism (i.e., to ‘ethical veganism’). Some argue that it is a moral imperative if we take the rights or interests of animals seriously (e.g., Francione & Charlton, 2013; Mason & Singer, 1980). Others regard it as a necessity if we are to live up to our duties to live as sustainably as possible (Fox, 2000), or to minimize public health risks (Melina et al., 2016; Vyas, 2019; Walker et al., 2005). Still others hold that it is supported by religious and spiritual reasons (Kemmerer, 2012). These justifications are, of course, not mutually exclusive. And yet, others have questioned whether moral concern for animals really does entail a vegan diet (Davis, 2003 (on field deaths), but cf. Fischer & Lamey, 2018; Fischer, 2019 (on backyard chickens); Lamey, 2019, chap. 9, and Reese, 2018 (on cultured meat); or Milburn, 2015 (on pet food)). Still others have questioned the link between veganism and sustainability (Mackenzie, 2020). Furthermore, a small minority dismiss veganism because they reject the idea of our having moral duties to animals (Hsiao, 2017); while others accept moral duties to animals, but regard veganism as either too demanding (Schwitzgebel & Rust, 2014), as having certain harmful consequences in its own right (Mackenzie, 2020), not leading causally to the desired effects (Harris & Galvin, 2012; Kahn, 2021) or, in turn, leading to moral overreach (Mills, 2019). We argue that while these moral debates are important, they miss out a crucial feature of veganism: its political dimension. By referring to veganism as ‘political’ we primarily mean two things: that it addresses routine harms created by social structures and systems for which members of a political community are responsible in virtue of their connection to them; and that it is a form of activism to be conducted collectively, in solidarity, with others.1 1 For other accounts which speak explicitly of veganism as a political strategy or movement, see Giroux and Larue (2019), Gruen and Jones (2015), Roeder (2021) and Dickstein et al. (Forthcoming). While they each make important contributions to a political reformulation of veganism, none of these accounts proposes the focus on solidarity that we develop in this paper. In making our case, we offer what we call a ‘normative reconstruction’ of veganism: an account of veganism which draws on its real-world practice, while developing it in certain normatively desirable directions.2 2 Dutkiewicz and Dickstein (2021) might object that the term veganism should be solely ‘conduct-descriptive’: i.e., only used to describe the practice of abstaining from the consumption of animal products. While we understand their calls for parsimony, we nevertheless take it for granted that it is important to understand why certain agents adopt particular practices, as well as if they should. Furthermore, our reconstruction of veganism is faithful to the real-world understanding of veganism as a normative endeavor distinct from, say, the dietary practices of herbivorous animals. To be clear, then, our aim is not to provide a descriptive account aimed at capturing all existing practices of veganism. Instead, our normative reconstruction seeks to offer reasons for us (vegans and non-vegans alike) to recognize and embrace the political dimension of veganism. Crucially, this political account of veganism remains agnostic on questions concerning which ethical theory is true or what best explains the moral status of animals. Rather, it draws on the fact that for the moral status of animals is and the social of political animals Jones et al., 2019). In our an important of veganism is not to for moral but to the between these and our political we that for the consumption and other they make not from a ethical Instead, and on the work of we argue that these are of solidarity with and on of others to Furthermore, we that this is a and for to of veganism for and this is the in the of the it of veganism as a form of it explicitly with its political to and the of animals. and this is the of the of the it and the we should of the of These be to other to animals, to and to the political of veganism And and this is a the it that some of the ethical debates our duties to be vegan are the on we see our duties to animal as political and in our to the then, in our veganism the moral status of animals to a to work the political and to animal and the In other we regard veganism as a to in which not to whether they are to the exploitation and consumption of animals and animal products. has not been associated with concern for the of animals, with activism on their and to our it has not been to veganism in a In animal the of has been by and and veganism In practice, the term has been used by the in the solidarity with solidarity with Instead, solidarity is associated with the for social to of to other by or to of health or and philosophical accounts of solidarity have it out to be a primarily (e.g., 2013; see for an of the In this is because the of animals has not been a of social it is because to be some political from the of for the of this we accept to be in that we are only this of political in animals for the of this paper. is not a we to with For important that animals have see and and For an take which see For a which as but not by see and the animals by not in solidarity with with the on their is in which the be in animal We it and of social work on In this we understanding of from social or as well as between solidarity and solidarity We that veganism and should be as a political for social and as a of this this our moral to In work and of is the term to of community which a descriptive whether are or is solidarity of on the other to the a to members of solidarity are the and systems that in and they are by a normative account of social and by the which is the important form of solidarity for this to the by a of to and some form of an of an that is in & a of to with others in to to the and to the is a for by the and the are by but not all of from the and by then, of and as an in that it is to have political solidarity with the animals. While animals be the of they are to in a to this is because animals the and understanding to on of with a to political and For the of this we with that this is the this is not the of the with for that animal and have solidarity with each that solidarity on of the animals they aim to is not an but be of our social with these animals While this is the that some have have with some animals, it is a that solidarity not be Furthermore, this understanding not be either if this activism in on this in feature of understanding of political solidarity, then, is that it a to a that has an For the of this we the and For political solidarity is a form of it is not the as a to in say, a Instead, to be in political solidarity is to and to with others some by particular social and We argue that this of and that it is which is faithful to the of veganism in the the concern with animal exploitation by the of the in the & To that our normative reconstruction to For while it is true the of a to the exploitation and of animals. the veganism as a of which seeks to far as is possible and of exploitation and animals Furthermore, has the of the and of and that it that a majority of is and their vegan as a to in at then, is not a or an but a form of activism social and political as a and for to concern for the and not for be as for that they are for an to animal Crucially, this does the of its and the best for it for Francione & our with Dickstein et al. see veganism as to In this veganism as to animal is other social other veganism has certain These to entail moral an that animals are or have a of their own which be to their to and that that moral agents have certain duties veganism as political solidarity moral with of a political duties that to the and other harms animals for in structures for which people are Furthermore, while veganism particular aim at animals are and in animal all of in which harms are the and in the pet in and and its course, some might if and this of to social regard veganism as by a for animals, and to a political By of it is important to that political and out of for animals has been crucial in the of animal as the or in and are the that public for In of course, have and are, and by that that public justification or the crucial in whether a is political and a of social to its focus on by particular social and is what a concern for the of some say, from a to hold a to account for its to and While be in it is the of which the explicitly In this our normative reconstruction of veganism is For on our the concern of veganism is not with of animals, or by the say, of a Instead, it is with the routine and harms which animals. veganism and seeks to the structures and systems which and the exploitation of animals is for this that choose to the which systems of et al. the of an of their own to these systems of For while it is political and and social structures primarily these harms animals, we are all with the practices which In this it that the to animal is political and a of social animal as a social that calls for political solidarity has important for ethical debates veganism. for the that veganism is that we from the exploitation of animals. to the harmful effects of vegan are with and entail the of animals the be from with the of and on & on a political understanding of veganism, is in to be is to with others to in a that the a if while it is true that some animals is in the in which we the in which we live is not the we live with Crucially, on our veganism is the attempt to with others to to a the exploitation of animals. veganism because it is to entail to all animal of animal miss the These debates at animal and not the of that Some that people with animal might have to abstaining from animal or the of animal in (e.g., For on a understanding of veganism, the is to by not by other animals on other animals call that an in the of a that is what call To on our veganism is not a to moral or but a to the of animals by course, well be other reasons political or to animal which has not been by but our is that they are not by veganism as political what of the that veganism is the is that dietary for animals 2019; & Galvin, 2012; Kahn, the practice to a of the of own these that is in for for a particular is to make political 2019). While some have questioned whether really are causally a in our social connection to a We argue that these should be solely in of the and to in of the from For we these practices as political in with their is not whether an has a to some it is whether they should with others to some as et al., course, some might object that this the in why should with others to a their own not make to the of the In our a be out by connection of political of us is to an some for if we and should not be for that To to animal and the to others be to on our social is to this understanding from of which to of For this the of and have they from the of of people and Crucially, are by and social of animals to live up to of their and is and by and our consumption of their is with that to & Furthermore, the in which animal exploitation is in our be in from to to to and is that all of us have some connection and for while social connection might mean we all have a to in the what does this mean for of us in is that each of our duties in be by our particular connection to the our to and our out by we have from the In other the duties that out of our to animals are and from and the and their for have and demanding to and their and duties as from and we have of and they from each other in And yet, is that have the to in with is an imperative Furthermore, and well as crucial of this then, while we to moral to with others in veganism, we be that it is an imperative for of us are and to not be by and to and which are not from animals. is not this social connection For be to take up each and of the of the that they entail 2019 on veganism and And in work on veganism, Fischer at a people have a of in the moral that they is true that is a of in and it is true that to take up activism to all be And yet, not provide for us to certain in to our and of and they entail not what they are they are which and political that we each have a to of and they not should not be it is for animal and animal rights have social in the that animals Jones et al., 2019). For these reasons, then, practices that at the of the from animal or the for and not duties for with particular of the we have that veganism be of as a form of political a with each other and on of animals to and animal solidarity is some to we not call a of the political but as & understand solidarity to entail certain duties to that an political solidarity with they make certain to a of to to other members of the to and to the In this we the of veganism as political solidarity, at what and should in solidarity with on of animals. of in political solidarity is to some For then, solidarity is not or it is a to with others in to that that this not only but their For out the of consumption is it is to a political solidarity, political they are in a that the to a that or a to be or In our this is an of what to the practice of only plant-based with a to the of animals. consumption a form of political it a form of political as we have for political solidarity to this activism be out in but in with that have certain to each other as members of a the of these is the to the For this an to to the exploitation and consumption of animals and animal for it is not to or only on or for the of take from the fact that others and live up to the of the the of be out in a of other as to offer and understanding to to to a plant-based to the of vegan and vegan to for vegan in a they are in the that the in the to or if they are to their to make a for to offer to with the consequences of the of animal and between members of a to to to with and to others to of and to that between members the of the for which they are is to on what this might mean for that in political solidarity have a of While not be a of duties of to all in all it right to that for and other of activism all a by which is to and work for which veganism and explicitly animal for the of and as well as for and other of political account of the between members has important for the of these and these should aim to to work with And have that be vegan pet or should be to while their to animal in these should not see each other as and attempt to each Instead, they should aim to and Furthermore, the and between these should the they to In other they all that they to that take hold in are particular risks of exploitation and in as they on and to the it is crucial that are to this and the of work on their the of that these should or other of is for animal rights as have been for their which other have of and In to their to each members of a have to the of the they to are not the or of veganism. are not the of the they to they might live with some of these have of social solidarity with and from their While this from other a of the it by the fact that in political solidarity with each For while the members of the the two are is why in solidarity with each other if they are to in with certain and others have idea the on their In to animals, then, for veganism are a they are for as we have none of us in animal exploitation in the existing in which we does this with and to be to that they should aim to their and connection with animal exploitation as far as the and that that only us We to whether for veganism, as of the really understand what animal exploitation and what its not and political activism on the of the the and of are for of the with an political movement, or an political the of members of the not only might the and form of the exploitation be but the activism up and that it to but to by out they not the to be by having the the For out that not the nevertheless have and that are not only but to the for social political with the to it make to have the in the Furthermore, out that be and that a of is to be these of from the of be course, it to veganism, only have the to the of animals, and only the to We have to that animals to the this on their are the of existing and exploitation to be These are important questions for and which have not been to as as they that is a on the of members of the to to understand the and of the to be and and see the the of In other the to should be a to understand the of which are to and from for veganism particular dietary and in and other of mutually and with animals is important to that in be not to Instead, they should be to and in from other animals, and of the fact that they might not be the of the and in social and political practices and should be to work some to out and with and from of animals, but it animals to and they have been the that that is to and have that as the of other has to their status as members of our political the be true for animals. By and animals in our on public and not only we have for with and understanding of some of but we to see as members of our In this an important of veganism be to animals these to their they take up of their own and to for in that is or To be clear, this for which to their to and is our public and that they and the of a of animals, the of and to with others in to the and with the of a to some social to and and they to the of the in which they Some of the in which this is with others to people the of animals and it be And consumption practices, dietary have a to is a in and others to a people see an to animal they be to out in to not only the exploitation of animals in the but some small in with are to it course, this to plant-based is by vegan to or of whether between and non-vegans or between & the is that be in the of And this should not be to mean that a plant-based diet is a of political for that is to is with the as is not harmful to not it is a of to with that with the of animals, the is a that is to the it is an is clear, then, that activism in political solidarity is at and is is to it from is not because the aim is not to the social but to on existing social to practices and structures which are out of with is the with veganism: the of animal exploitation is not only but out of with the of and that animal and animal rights Jones et al., 2019). this might well some social 2019). that the animal is not in with to recognize that animals are either by as or animal & of vegan then, is to this this be to because it risks some of the it to is and members the while veganism is it is the which a community is that should be not other people that it is not some the of the is because other community if not have to the in which they some it by the to on their others might be of it but of that animal and others might have interests in animal but to of be to to a of by a of or a to with the idea that be in solidarity with their that of the of to the community should be to and with are not in solidarity on of other animals, as well as to offer a of which might from the to in its Fischer in that of the of vegan activism is to others to animal to with regard to moral Fischer that not has a to in recognize that animals are important, and that they are a on the of in our political which does not for moral or that certain and structures and to which we are to harms to of animals does the majority of us to for veganism. of vegan then, is to make others of this but it To activism has its own the to by the that to live in a in which they have to be with non-vegans because that mean that animal live in a in which they not have to and rights be to be out of have not on these by and rights by in the to live in with these Rather, they have their political And we veganism should to in that And for it is that is crucial in political For while other are associated with veganism at the with the of and we that should take These other important be but the focus on veganism be for social which animal and veganism be the political a which ethical that that a focus on and other of political is not focus on a of they be to embrace of political which might to take For while it is true that the political of vegan activism is it be to existing might to and social in to the rights of the the community and has of been and of political has a be from as well as from it for to be to all of the political to whether that be for the of in political on of explicitly members of the on or other with animal and is crucial to is that the political which hold is which political solidarity in the of that to the and structures to animal as well as of political be in making that In to the to to to the of and to the members of a have to the for which they are In that have a to be and with regard to the to which they are a is important in to that from or a in the of it is important for at two other reasons which have been but which are For while all in political solidarity with each other have a to what is to that to be on the we have our social connection to the might on In the that are best for of the important of vegan is to on what their veganism of and all social have some practices in their which they take as and with others the is that the right to and have their own is the of some of work is be in activism at the of animals. in the the of but it is whether practices as or the consumption of be as are the of and is in which they be or to the of all of their to the then, for veganism have an to not only on that its and its but to to and with others in their have a of animal the to on the should not be as a solely important of it is to and its with to other of be as having two the an to the by out to others are of idea is to these others not only to take the but to it in their own For the aim be to and to see the of animal and the in which these are is a for social to with the animal this to a that animals or the for which they are of their then, to that of animals as In it is to the animals are with and by other whether that be the exploitation of in the of or to or the of certain with animals to their & of these us to the of the to on the as on on animal on these other In and as we have this to for animals in which for other that be with to minority and it on are and the that has for the to animal does not mean all to as having the the the and the to be to the and particular of the which of it is to see and as but it is to regard as the they the in form of to in we that this is not as animal activism the of activism the of for to the of the then, is to that a particular of to are or In the of (2015), the be to a not to all but to on the on of of and the to We to have that it be and for to of veganism as political solidarity to animal on of other animals and with other is because it out and explains political dimension and some and important is because it debates what we as should or which from animal some debates the ethical to vegan animals or the of the of moral are the political is to animal while at its is a of an that is in important in which to that is by with others to for veganism, and by others to work vegan or a in which the For on of this the to Milburn, at and the and of the of is of at the of is of the has been at the of in the in animal and and to and is and in at and of the of between 2018 and is on of philosophical and that is not but with and for other animals. has at the the of and the and has been at the of the of and the of