Poverty and Agricultural Policies: We Ain’t Winnin’ Because the Old Dominant Idea Has a Way of Reasserting Itself

Soil fertility has been the basis of all past civilizations. The current agricultural system supplements declining soil fertility with petroleum, which is being rapidly depleted. This system reflects the deeply entrenched Baconian-Cartesian mindset. It impoverishes farmers and damages their health, while enriching agribusiness. It is an economic failure, surviving only on massive government subsidies. An evolutionary-ecological worldview can direct us to sustainable agriculture capable of providing adequate resources for all.

Jackson, W. (2002). Poverty and Agricultural Policies: We Ain’t Winnin’ Because the Old Dominant Idea Has a Way of Reasserting Itself. Abstract reprinted with permission from Kluwer Academic Publishers, @ 2002 Human Sciences Press, Inc. For ordering information, visit the order page for this journal on the Kluwer website.

Presented at the “Poverty: Its Causes and Cures” workshop held at the Center for Process Studies in Claremont, California, October 17-21, 2001.