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Western Food Surpluses and the Underdeveloped World
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 July 2024
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We are entering a new period in man’s history. Some men have always been poorer than others; people’s skin colours have always been different. But for the first time there is developing a fusion between those who are poor and those who are ‘different’. The one supporting the other – they have come to rest with odd exceptions side by side. A line has been drawn across the world. On one side are approximately one third who are white and well fed and affluent, whether they be American capitalists or Soviet factory workers. On the other side are the two thirds who are brown, black or yellow, and are either starving, or at least facing the prospect of always being poor and deprived; certainly standing little chance in the forseeable future of being affluent.
In the poor part of the world, the so called underdeveloped countries, there is a population growth of 2 to 4%. As well as high birth rates they have some of the lowest death rates in the world because of their over proportioned youthful population. A decrease in their birth rate from even a large birth control campaign would according to the distinguished Swedish economist, Gunnar Myrdal, have no effect on the labour force for 15 years and only a very minor effect for three decades.
Again as Myrdal observes even if industrialization were pushed much more rapidly than has been possible in the underdeveloped nations so far, it will not create much employment.
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- Copyright © 1967 Provincial Council of the English Province of the Order of Preachers
References
1 F. W. Rotesteil, ‘World Population Determinants in the Future.’ in American Agronomy Society Special Publication No. 6, 1965, p. 26.
2 U. S. Farm Policy and the World Food Problem‐Speech at a Convention of the National Farmers Union 1965 by Gunnar Myrdal, p. 2.
3 Ibid.
4 W. W. Cochranc, ‘World Food Budget.’ in World Forum, 1962, U. S. D. A., p. 87.
5 Ibid., pp. 88–95.
6 L. R. Bowen, ‘World Population Growth, Food Needs and Production Problems,’ in American Society of Agronomy Special Publication No. 6, p. 6.
7 Myrdal, op. cit., p. 2.
8 L. R. Brown, op. cit., pp. 18–19.
9 Nearly all the surplus food sold at present on concessional terms is moved under either the United State's PL480 or section 402 of the Mutual Security Act.
10 Congressional Record, vol. III, No. 110, Proceedings and Debates of the 89th Congress First Session, June 17, 1965, p. 6.
11 That is there are members of the rural labour force whose labour contribution actually lowers the productive output of the community. (The too many cooks spoil the broth idea). This is because the marginal productivity curve of an individual has fallen below the average productivity curve of the community and may even have reached zero. If it has reached zero it is because those that are in this unhappy state of producing less than nothing are probably part of an extended family. And as long as the average product of this extended family is above subsistance then such a state of affairs can go on. The people in the family whose marginal product is less than the average product eat out of a common bowl and so have their economic position ‘hidden’.
12 M. Ezekial, ‘The Basic Economic Ideas of Using Surplus Food to Help Finance Economic Development in Internation Wheat Surplus Utilization Conference Proceedings, 1958 (Dept. of Economics, South Dakota State College’), pp. 126–128.
13 As their marginal product is less than their average product.
14 Myrdal, op. cit., p. 2.
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