Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Political Processes and Power
Civic agriculture flourishes in a democratic environment. Problem solving around the social,
economic, and environmental issues related to agriculture and food requires that all citizens
have a say in how the agriculture and food system is organized. Indeed, citizen participation
in agriculture and food-related organizations and associations is a cornerstone of civic ag-
riculture. Through active engagement in the food system, civic agriculture has the potential
to transform individuals from passive consumers into active food citizens. A food citizen is
someone who has not only a stake but also a voice in how and where his or her food is pro-
duced, processed, and sold. 40
The free-market neoclassical system of conventional agriculture, on the other hand, does
not necessarily benefit from democracy and, in fact, may be constrained by the politics put
into place through democratic actions of citizens. The political scientist Benjamin Barber re-
cently noted, “Capitalism requires consumers with access to markets; such conditions may or
may not be fostered by democracy.” 41 Agriculture and food systems organized around “free
markets” exist in many nondemocratic countries around the world today. In fact, one would
be hard pressed to find many nations in which markets are not used to regulate food produc-
tion. 42 The freedom of consumers to choose which food products to purchase should not be
confused with their freedom to shape the practices or regulate the companies that produce,
process, and sell the food.
Motors for Change
The free-market model of agricultural development rests on the belief that the “best” and
most “efficient” outcomes are found in a system where individuals are “free” to pursue their
own self-interests. It is assumed, of course, that when all the rhetoric is scraped away, self-
interested individuals are at heart “capitalists.” Human capital, social capital, and technology
are the motors for change. Human capital increases the productivity of workers and integ-
rates them tightly into the corporate regime. Social capital provides the environment of trust
and cooperation that allows human capital to flourish. Technology extends labor's productiv-
ity and through intellectual property rights becomes another tool of corporate control. 43
From the perspective of civic agriculture, change is generated by social movements and is
oriented toward community problem solving. Civically engaged individuals come together in
local organizations and associations to solve the problems facing their communities. Shared
responsibility for the common good drives the civic community. 44
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