Carbon Democracy: Political Power in the Age of Oil

Several times in the book, Mitchell suggests that imperial powers and foreign oil companies intentionally collaborated to create crises. What were some of these crises? How are they important and related to the distribution and production of oil? Consider whether you agree with Mitchell’s assessment around intentionality—and explain why or why not?

How did imperial powers build “a white-ruled, self-governing empire” (72) and what is its relationship to carbon energy? What does self-governing mean to the imperial powers and to the populace being governed? How did the populace oppose this form of government?

What is “McJihad,” and how has the concept shaped the relationship between oil-producing and oil-dependent countries? Do you agree with Mitchell’s argument? Why or why not?

Mitchell argues that “fossil fuels helped create both the possibility of modern democracy and its limits” (1). What does he mean by this statement? Use examples from the text to compare and contrast the socio-technical aspects of coal and oil and how these relate to democratic modes of government.

How does fossil fuel relate to the concept of the economy? What role does the economy play in political power? Compare and contrast the conventional scholarship to Mitchell’s account.

The traditional story about the discovery of oil in the Middle East is that brave pioneers discovered oil in barren and empty places. How does Mitchell question this conventional narrative? What role does scarcity play in Mitchell’s account?

Using evidence from the text, what role has the US, as well as other actors, played in maintaining instability and violence in the Middle East? Consider whether you agree with Mitchell’s assessment—why or why not?

How have oil companies and their allies helped frame the politics of the environment? Why and how does Mitchell critique this involvement? What is at stake for the environment and human society and culture more broadly if fossil fuel companies and their allies continue to have a major voice in discussions around energy systems?