Food Crises - IFood Crises - I

Development & Underdevelopment,Development & Underdevelopment,

From Green Revolution to FamineFrom Green Revolution to Famine

ReadingsReadings

H.Cleaver, "Food, Famine & Int'l Crisis"H.Cleaver, "Food, Famine & Int'l Crisis" NACLA, "US Grain Arsenal"NACLA, "US Grain Arsenal" "US Food Power: Ultimate Weapon in World "US Food Power: Ultimate Weapon in World

Politics"Politics"

Food as FeastFood as Feast

Food as staff of life, fundamental necessityFood as staff of life, fundamental necessity gathering, production always social actgathering, production always social act

Food as social mediumFood as social medium family mealsfamily meals religious ritualsreligious rituals collective rituals, holidays, festivalscollective rituals, holidays, festivals sharing of food = sharing of self sharing of food = sharing of self bonding bonding

Food as PowerFood as Power

Control over food Control over food powerpower over life over life control over land - food control over land - food autonomy autonomy

power to live independentlypower to live independently

control over land - food control over land - food PowerPower over others over others PowerPower to make others lives dependent to make others lives dependent

e.g., sharecroppinge.g., sharecropping e.g., wage labore.g., wage labor e.g., soviet family plotse.g., soviet family plots

Power over OthersPower over Others

FamiliesFamilies control over childrencontrol over children

no work, no supper, primogenitureno work, no supper, primogeniture

Local communityLocal community control over land fundamental to structure of powercontrol over land fundamental to structure of power

Nation StatesNation States internally: role in food distribution function of internally: role in food distribution function of

pressures, top down, bottom uppressures, top down, bottom up externally: food as weapon in diplomacyexternally: food as weapon in diplomacy

Food in CapitalismFood in Capitalism

Control over land - food Control over land - food control over work control over work Without autonomous sources of food, people Without autonomous sources of food, people

are forced into labor marketare forced into labor market Monopoly of control gives capitalists Monopoly of control gives capitalists PowerPower to to

impose workimpose work History of capitalism is history of business History of capitalism is history of business

efforts to achieve monopoly control of land - efforts to achieve monopoly control of land - foodfood enclosure, Wakefield, etc.enclosure, Wakefield, etc.

Food & ResistanceFood & Resistance

Conversely, access to land - food gives Conversely, access to land - food gives powerpower to to resist, material basis for autonomous liferesist, material basis for autonomous life

Historical resistance to enclosure, from Historical resistance to enclosure, from England in 18th Century to Zapatistas at England in 18th Century to Zapatistas at beginning of 21st Centurybeginning of 21st Century

Those who have lost access to land fight for Those who have lost access to land fight for "access" to food, e.g., welfare, food stamps"access" to food, e.g., welfare, food stamps greater the access, greater ability to resist low wagesgreater the access, greater ability to resist low wages

Development & Underdevelopment

Development & Underdevelopment

Development & underdevelopmentDevelopment & underdevelopment as states-of-beingas states-of-being

developed = industrial, richdeveloped = industrial, rich underdeveloped = agrarian, poorunderdeveloped = agrarian, poor

as processesas processes development = investment, growth, industrializing, rising development = investment, growth, industrializing, rising

real income per capitareal income per capita underdevelopment = disinvestment, decline, falling Y/capunderdevelopment = disinvestment, decline, falling Y/cap

as strategiesas strategies development: giving food to get workdevelopment: giving food to get work underdevelopment: witholding food to get workunderdevelopment: witholding food to get work

Giving Food (& Land) - IGiving Food (& Land) - I

Lack of food seen as source of revolution Lack of food seen as source of revolution 30s - 40s private foundations developed "food 30s - 40s private foundations developed "food

politics" for Third Worldpolitics" for Third World land reform, community development, new ag technologyland reform, community development, new ag technology

especially Rockefeller Foundation in Chinaespecially Rockefeller Foundation in China even earlier in US Southeven earlier in US South

"development" strategies, give to get"development" strategies, give to get

state took over private policies and integrated into state took over private policies and integrated into foreign policy thru foreign aid programs, diplo.foreign policy thru foreign aid programs, diplo.

state also subsidized increased food production, state also subsidized increased food production, increased real wages in US & Europe, welfareincreased real wages in US & Europe, welfare

Giving Food - IIGiving Food - II

1960s: "Development Decade"1960s: "Development Decade" "Green Revolution" technologies from IRRI, "Green Revolution" technologies from IRRI,

CYMMIT, CYMMIT, high yielding rice & wheat varietieshigh yielding rice & wheat varieties replaced land reform & com. dev.replaced land reform & com. dev.

promise of food in exchange for acceptance of promise of food in exchange for acceptance of capitalist rules of the game, integration into global capitalist rules of the game, integration into global economyeconomy

Development = Keynesianism in 3rd & 2nd worldsDevelopment = Keynesianism in 3rd & 2nd worlds Soviet Keynesianism in countryside, citiesSoviet Keynesianism in countryside, cities

Withholding Food - IWithholding Food - I

After World War I, Herbert Hoover & After World War I, Herbert Hoover & American foreign aid in Eastern EuropeAmerican foreign aid in Eastern Europe food aid given to those who followed the American food aid given to those who followed the American

line, vis a vis Germany & USSR, US investmentline, vis a vis Germany & USSR, US investment food aid withheld from those who didn't go along food aid withheld from those who didn't go along

with US policieswith US policies

Withholding Food - IIWithholding Food - II

1950s - 1960s: PL 4801950s - 1960s: PL 480 subsidies to US agriculture subsidies to US agriculture food surplusesfood surpluses Hubert Humphrey saw surpluses as leverageHubert Humphrey saw surpluses as leverage food for starving if and only if governments food for starving if and only if governments

accepted American directivesaccepted American directives e.g., Indian famine 1965-66e.g., Indian famine 1965-66 Orville Freeman, Sec of Agriculture tells Indian Min of Ag Orville Freeman, Sec of Agriculture tells Indian Min of Ag

Subramaniam food aid if: Subramaniam food aid if: population controlpopulation control opening of Indian fertilizer industry to US firmsopening of Indian fertilizer industry to US firms

Contradictions of Green Revolution TechnologiesContradictions of Green Revolution Technologies

Unforeseen consequences of Green RevolutionUnforeseen consequences of Green Revolution uneven application across regionsuneven application across regions accessible to rich farmers, not poor, aggravated accessible to rich farmers, not poor, aggravated

inequalitiesinequalities rich farmer investment in labor saving capital rich farmer investment in labor saving capital

equipment caused unemployment for landlessequipment caused unemployment for landless environmental problems due to:environmental problems due to:

monocroppingmonocropping increased use of inorganic fertilizer, pesticides, herbicidesincreased use of inorganic fertilizer, pesticides, herbicides

From Green to Red RevolutionFrom Green to Red Revolution

Regional Disparities aggravated Pakistan Regional Disparities aggravated Pakistan Conflict as West benefited and East didn'tConflict as West benefited and East didn't

Increased intra-peasant conflicts in India btwn Increased intra-peasant conflicts in India btwn those who benefited and those who didn'tthose who benefited and those who didn't

Naxalite Rebellion in W.Bengal, BiharNaxalite Rebellion in W.Bengal, Bihar

Welfare State & RebellionWelfare State & Rebellion

Food subsidies to poor:Food subsidies to poor: school lunches, food stamps, etcschool lunches, food stamps, etc

Viewed as inadequate, part of cause of Viewed as inadequate, part of cause of rebellions:rebellions: central city uprisingscentral city uprisings Black Panther Party extortion for breakfastsBlack Panther Party extortion for breakfasts

State response: dramatic spread of Food Stamp State response: dramatic spread of Food Stamp program to meet demands, quiet rebellionprogram to meet demands, quiet rebellion

Food & Rebellion in EastFood & Rebellion in East

Circa 1960: food riots in RussiaCirca 1960: food riots in Russia chronic peasant resistancechronic peasant resistance results in Krushchev's opening steppe productionresults in Krushchev's opening steppe production later Keynesian policies for peasantslater Keynesian policies for peasants

1970: Polish govt increases food prices1970: Polish govt increases food prices widespread rebellion in Poland, food prices droppedwidespread rebellion in Poland, food prices dropped sympathy strikes in USSR, 5-yr plan revised, sympathy strikes in USSR, 5-yr plan revised,

increased food imports (1972 grain deal), efforts to increased food imports (1972 grain deal), efforts to industrialize food productionindustrialize food production

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