Marx and Engels were dismissive of the peasant (farmer), and I was reminded of this while reading Lucien Bianco, The Origins of the Chinese Revolution, 1915-1949. Together with Simon Leys' Chinese Shadows if you want a quick study of the Communist era in China, you'll do well to read those two books together. Leys had to use a nom de plume to write his book because the truth of it about Maosim would have cost him his job. It covers a time that seems impossible today.
Bianco's book describes some political arrangements that are not uncommon in USA today. Sometimes you have to see it in play somewhere else to realize it is in play here. But the most interesting part of the book is how Mao himself never really understood Marxism (or had no real use for it, actually comparing it to dog shit) and how he had to work around the Soviet advisors to advance a revolution that was peasant (farmer) when Marx and Engels in theory expected the liquidation of the peasant and Lenin and Stalin in practice were liquidating peasants. We forget that central to the progressive world view is control through farm policy.
If there is one area where American's eyes glaze over it is farm policy. If there was one area they should be most attentive, it would be farm policy. I know myself I haven't been paying attention to a farm bill that is being debated. If it is like any other bill, say immigration or romney/obamacare, it too is no doubt a mess.
I do know this, USA farm policy affects the rest of the world. I do know that the small farmer is critical to any nations health, and that is why such countries as Japan and France so protect theirs, if by misguided means. Small producers exporting allows them to expand production profitably, a capacity that may very well come in handy if the BigAg/BigGovt progressive policies do not work out, as they usually don't.
Read these two books to start...
Feel free to forward this by email to three of your friends.
Bianco's book describes some political arrangements that are not uncommon in USA today. Sometimes you have to see it in play somewhere else to realize it is in play here. But the most interesting part of the book is how Mao himself never really understood Marxism (or had no real use for it, actually comparing it to dog shit) and how he had to work around the Soviet advisors to advance a revolution that was peasant (farmer) when Marx and Engels in theory expected the liquidation of the peasant and Lenin and Stalin in practice were liquidating peasants. We forget that central to the progressive world view is control through farm policy.
If there is one area where American's eyes glaze over it is farm policy. If there was one area they should be most attentive, it would be farm policy. I know myself I haven't been paying attention to a farm bill that is being debated. If it is like any other bill, say immigration or romney/obamacare, it too is no doubt a mess.
I do know this, USA farm policy affects the rest of the world. I do know that the small farmer is critical to any nations health, and that is why such countries as Japan and France so protect theirs, if by misguided means. Small producers exporting allows them to expand production profitably, a capacity that may very well come in handy if the BigAg/BigGovt progressive policies do not work out, as they usually don't.
Read these two books to start...
Feel free to forward this by email to three of your friends.
1 comments:
See this too:
http://www.healthy-eating-politics.com/dietary-guidelines.html
Unfortunately, politics and business affect our health. Big government and big agricultural business are wrong in telling us what we should eat and what is considered healthy food.
Post a Comment