Capitalism vs. Agriculture
Socialism 2018
July 05, 2018
With Fred Magdoff
Social and ecological problems arise from the way that agriculture functions within capitalist economies. These include hunger in the midst of plenty, lack of nutrient cycling, poor crop rotations, inhumane raising of animals on factory farms, poor treatment of farm and slaughterhouse labor and environmental pollution with pesticides and fertilizers. When the overriding goal and motivating force is profit, decisions that makes sense from a narrow economic perspective are frequently ecologically and socially damaging.