3 ms·

> It's not inconceivable that we could go from large surpluses of cheap food one year to widespread hunger the next Can't the US just import a big portion of i

by badpun 8y ago

> It's not inconceivable that we could go from large surpluses of cheap food one year to widespread hunger the next Can't the US just import a big portion of its food for a couple years, until the situation is back to normal?

gotocake 8y ago
Assuming the crisis is limited to just the U.S., maybe. Otherwise no, because everyone would be suffering and stockpiling what they could for their own citizens. There are also geopolitical concerns, such as pricing those exports very dearly, or withholding them barring some concessions.
- justin66 8y ago
  > Otherwise no, because everyone would be suffering and stockpiling what they could for their own citizens. This is not how it works. People going hungry in spite of their country having a good crop is a sadly regular theme throughout history. Crops going to the highest bidder and crops going to whoever has the most political influence are sadly regular occurrences. (the most recent example of relatively widespread hunger of this sort that I'm aware of occurred in the aftermath of the 2008 recession, although economics isn't really my thing)
GlenTheMachine 8y ago
Three things a superpower should never outsource: * energy production * food supply * coinage
- toss1 8y ago
  Plus: * manufacturing * security-sensitive or military electronics The American MBAs proudly proclaimed the quarterly profits from outsourcing what they saw as menial and fungible manufacturing operations to exploit cheap labor zones such as China. Meanwhile, China has a longer view, including 500-year plans. They are strategically building the hard-won knowledge and processes to effectively and efficiently manufacture goods, and expropriating the IP for design. Beyond that, they are now manufacturing many mission-critical and eavesdropping-capable components used in our defense operations. So, while we think we're exploiting their cheap labor, they are exploiting our myopic focus on short term profits. This advantage squandered for a few company's short-term profits will be recorded as one of history's great strategic blunders.

by badpun 8y ago

gotocake 8y ago

Assuming the crisis is limited to just the U.S., maybe. Otherwise no, because everyone would be suffering and stockpiling what they could for their own citizens. There are also geopolitical concerns, such as pricing those exports very dearly, or withholding them barring some concessions.

justin66 8y ago
> Otherwise no, because everyone would be suffering and stockpiling what they could for their own citizens. This is not how it works. People going hungry in spite of their country having a good crop is a sadly regular theme throughout history. Crops going to the highest bidder and crops going to whoever has the most political influence are sadly regular occurrences. (the most recent example of relatively widespread hunger of this sort that I'm aware of occurred in the aftermath of the 2008 recession, although economics isn't really my thing)

GlenTheMachine 8y ago

Three things a superpower should never outsource: * energy production * food supply * coinage

toss1 8y ago
Plus: * manufacturing * security-sensitive or military electronics The American MBAs proudly proclaimed the quarterly profits from outsourcing what they saw as menial and fungible manufacturing operations to exploit cheap labor zones such as China. Meanwhile, China has a longer view, including 500-year plans. They are strategically building the hard-won knowledge and processes to effectively and efficiently manufacture goods, and expropriating the IP for design. Beyond that, they are now manufacturing many mission-critical and eavesdropping-capable components used in our defense operations. So, while we think we're exploiting their cheap labor, they are exploiting our myopic focus on short term profits. This advantage squandered for a few company's short-term profits will be recorded as one of history's great strategic blunders.