5 ms·
Capitalism. The problem is capitalism. Any handouts for farmers go straight into the coffers of multinationals to pay for farm equipment, support for the locke
by jmyeet 9mo ago
Capitalism. The problem is capitalism.
Any handouts for farmers go straight into the coffers of multinationals to pay for farm equipment, support for the locked down farm equipment, the patented seeds, the pesticides for the patented seeds and so on. The entire subsdization model is a profit opportunity for agricultural companies.
And what do those companies wnat to do? Buy up the farms and run them themselves for more profit. Because they don't have to charge the same amount to their own farms of course.
It's also why the wealthy and big companies like illegal immigration. It's an endless supply of underpaid workers who can be exploited for even more profits. Document these people and everybody's wages go up.
The only country I can think of that is really effectively managing its agriculture and food supply is of course China. China had some food shortages in the late 20th century and a result food security became a primary concern of the CCP. China has to feed 20% of the world's population and decided that food need to be plentiful and affordable. There were a seris of agricultural reforms through the 1970s to 1990s and then China used its increasing wealth to pay farmers when they had to and subsidize food when they had to to manage the supply. It's managed to the highest levels of China's government [1].
Here we have rent-seeking corporations and billionaires (eg the Resnicks [2]) where subsidies are just a wealth transfer to the already wealthy. food prices are out of control. But nobody cares because the profits have to keep going up.
[1]: https://www.csis.org/analysis/chinas-food-security-key-challenges-and-emerging-policy-responses https://www.csis.org/analysis/chinas-food-security-key-chall...
[2]: https://perfectunion.us/how-this-billionaire-couple-stole-californias-water-supply/ https://perfectunion.us/how-this-billionaire-couple-stole-ca...
- actionfromafar 9mo agoThe US also took food security seriously after WW2. Now it's all devolved into HFCS.
- b3lvedere 9mo agoOr they exported the good food, because they could get a better price for it. When i want real quality food for a good price in my own country, i have to go to another country to actually get it. Again, i can't condemn them for trying to make more profit, but somewhere in the line it gets pretty weird and annoying.
- mlrtime 9mo agoOk, another capitalism bad post, great. What is your solution then? Explain how that happens/migrates to, in the US?
- wilkommen 9mo agoSolution is to prosecute private monopolies out of existence, by enforcing the Robinson-Patman Act and the Sherman Act.
- mlrtime 9mo agoOk who defines monopoly? I know there is a textbook definition, but it's still somewhat subjective. Also the US won't do this if it creates a international competitive disadvantage.
- wilkommen 9mo agoThe FTC defines monopoly, the courts define monopoly when private litigants bring monopolization cases and via precedent, and Congress defines monopoly via lawmaking. Of course it's subjective, everything is subjective when it comes to the law. The US needs to do it if it wants to maintain its status as a world power instead of becoming a banana republic where the law is a joke.