For many, veganism is more than just a dietary choice, but also a form of political activism that challenges the exploitation and oppression of sentient beings. Let’s explore how veganism can be seen as an unconventional form of political participation.

Unconventional political participation

Unconventional political participation refers to how citizens can express their opinions and influence public policies without relying on traditional channels such as voting, joining parties or contacting representatives. Unconventional political participation includes protests, boycotts, petitions, civil disobedience, online activism, and political consumerism.

How is veganism a form of political consumerism?

Political consumerism uses one's purchasing power to support or oppose certain causes, products or companies. For instance, buying fair trade coffee, avoiding sweatshop clothing or boycotting fossil fuels are forms of political consumerism. Political consumerism can also involve lifestyle choices that reflect one's values and beliefs.

Veganism can be seen as a form of political consumerism because it involves boycotting the products and practices of animal exploitation. By doing so, vegans aim to reduce the demand for animal products, challenge the norms and habits of animal consumption and raise awareness about the plight of animals. Vegans also hope to influence the supply side of the market by creating a demand for plant-based alternatives and encouraging companies to adopt more ethical and sustainable practices.

Unconventional political participation

Political scientist Dr. Deborah Kalte, states that “Veganism is particularly viewed as an unconventional form of political participation, as it is conducted to address ethical concerns and to change market practices.”

Veganism is unconventional because it addresses a topic often neglected or marginalised in mainstream politics: the rights and interests of non-human animals. 

Animal issues are rarely on the political agenda, and when they are, they are often framed in terms of human interests, such as food safety, public health or environmental protection (important topics, but ignore the reality that animal rights are human rights, as many people suffer from working in animal agriculture). Animal issues are also subject to powerful lobbying from the animal industry, which often influences the policies and regulations that affect animals.

Veganism challenges this status quo by bringing animal issues to the forefront of public debate by advocating for the radical transformation of human-animal relations. Veganism questions the dominant assumptions and values that justify animal exploitation and proposes a new ethical framework that recognises the intrinsic worth and dignity of all sentient beings.

Implications and challenges of political veganism?

For vegans, political veganism can be a source of empowerment, identity, and community, and a way of expressing one's values, beliefs, and emotions constructively and creatively. 

However, political veganism can entail difficulties, such as social stigma, isolation, frustration, and often subject to ‘vegaphobia.’ Vegans may face hostility, ridicule, or indifference from family, friends, colleagues, or strangers who do not share or understand their views. 

They may also struggle with finding vegan products or services in a predominantly non-vegan society. Moreover, they may encounter dilemmas or trade-offs when their vegan principles clash with other personal or social interests or values. However, as the vegan community grows, more vegans find supportive networks, and they, in turn, support others. 

What did a study in Switzerland reveal on vegan political engagement? 

Dr. Deborah Kalte studied a sample of 648 vegans in Switzerland. The study demonstrated that a vast majority of vegans are politically motivated and aim to induce change in society at large. They are highly engaged in a broad variety of political activities. Also, politically motivated vegans live the vegan lifestyle more strictly and are more politically active than vegans motivated by personal concerns.

Veganism as a form of political activism can challenge and transform the oppressive systems that exploit animals, humans, and the environment. For many, veganism is not merely about self-improvement but collective action and social change; it operates through the market and civil society, using individual and collective actions. 

Get inspired by vegan activist Matthew Glover and check out unique approaches to animal rights activism.