The term "ecological democracy", is used here to indicate an alternative democratic model, critical towards laissez-faire, but not anti-liberal. The foundations of this model are in the common capital of the knowledge of social sceinces. The paradox of collective action, the existence of entitlements to resources before market trading and of externalities. Ecological democracy is utilized as metaphor to analyze two politicallyrelevant problems of contemporary society: the uncertain legitimacy of the international institutions and the lack of instituzionalization of the social movements.[...]