From: Paul Cockshott (wpc@DCS.GLA.AC.UK)
Date: Tue Feb 07 2006 - 11:21:16 EST
Jerry Levy wrote: >Hi Paul C, > >OK (but note 'digression' from previous post, reproduced below). > >Is the price of soy on world markets determined by the costs of >production of the least efficient soy producer? That would be a >landless impoverished peasant, right? > > > Do the landless impoverished peasants continue to produce soy for the world market or can they only survive by subsistence rathern than export based farming? >In solidarity, Jerry > > > > > >>[Digression: in the case of other agricultural producers, there are >>cultural reasons why impoverished landowning peasants continue >>to work the land even where they are receiving less than the average >>wage -- let alone the average rate of profit. One could project that >>over the long-term (or less -- depending on the extent to which they >>are impoverished) -- they would cease agricultural production and >>join the ranks of the proletariat. But, there is often a considerable >>lag -- perhaps lasting more than one generation -- because of the >>attachment that people have to place, community, culture, family .... >>As I indicated, a lot depends on the _extent_ of their poverty.] >> >> -- Paul Cockshott Dept Computing Science University of Glasgow 0141 330 3125
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