Millions of tons of annual agricultural trade is now being conducted outside the US dollar, and within the new BRICS framework.This represents a tectonic shi...
This, also US agricultural exports play a major role in US imperialism. Michael Hudson’s talks on the subject are extremely enlightening- this one, on the broader “super imperialism” (recently bought his book on the subject, yet to delve in) and this one on the subject of the World Bank and US agricultural imperialism in particular.
The TL,DR is that the US heavily discourages agricultural self-sufficiency across the global south, and through this weaponizes/orchestrates famines across the world as one weapon of its empire.
That’s part of it, for sure (it comes with genociding off the majority of the indigenous population and developing as a settler-state instead of natural demographic growth). The US’ land could easily sustain a population the size of China’s or India’s.
Alongside that, the mechanisms of this agricultural imperialism are such that it’s not some “complete support of other countries’ agriculture”- rather, it’s implementing the same kinds of agricultural dependencies that were and remain endemic to, say, the Caribbean, where local agriculture would be focused on cash crop plantations which could not sustain domestic needs.
There’s also a space for other countries’ agriculture (of staple crops, etc) within this model- but it is under western ownership. The process generally goes as such- agricultural subsidies and state-led or locally owned agriculture is disincentivized or worse, and meanwhile the markets are forced open- thus, heavily subsidized western agriculture flows in and destroys local farmers. Then afterwards the US swoops in for the fire sale…
This, also US agricultural exports play a major role in US imperialism. Michael Hudson’s talks on the subject are extremely enlightening- this one, on the broader “super imperialism” (recently bought his book on the subject, yet to delve in) and this one on the subject of the World Bank and US agricultural imperialism in particular.
The TL,DR is that the US heavily discourages agricultural self-sufficiency across the global south, and through this weaponizes/orchestrates famines across the world as one weapon of its empire.
Interesting, does that mean USA has a powerful enough farming industry / agriculture to support other countries?
That’s part of it, for sure (it comes with genociding off the majority of the indigenous population and developing as a settler-state instead of natural demographic growth). The US’ land could easily sustain a population the size of China’s or India’s.
Alongside that, the mechanisms of this agricultural imperialism are such that it’s not some “complete support of other countries’ agriculture”- rather, it’s implementing the same kinds of agricultural dependencies that were and remain endemic to, say, the Caribbean, where local agriculture would be focused on cash crop plantations which could not sustain domestic needs.
There’s also a space for other countries’ agriculture (of staple crops, etc) within this model- but it is under western ownership. The process generally goes as such- agricultural subsidies and state-led or locally owned agriculture is disincentivized or worse, and meanwhile the markets are forced open- thus, heavily subsidized western agriculture flows in and destroys local farmers. Then afterwards the US swoops in for the fire sale…
Thanks
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