Famine in peasant societies

..." Seavoy argues that traditional peasant agriculture operates on different premises from commercial agriculture: its institutions and values minimize labor effort and equalize available food and food-producing resources in what is called "the subsistence compromise," defined as those practices by which peasants attempt to grow only enough food to last until the next harvest. This "compromise" results in periodic famine interspersed with population growth--no modernization and no social changes. Commercial agriculture in contrast stresses efficient resource allocation, including greater labor input (both time and effort) by offering needed money in-comes only to those who produce food (and other) surpluses. This prevents famine and is a first necessary step toward industrialization and social progress. The author believes a transformation from peasant to commercial agriculture cannot result from market incentives or technical improvements alone but requires political coercion. His case studies of England, Ireland, India and Indonesia are fascinating and well documented...."-Choice ?... Seavoy argues that traditional peasant agriculture operates on different premises from commercial agriculture: its institutions and values minimize labor effort and equalize available food and food-producing resources in what is called "the subsistence compromise," defined as those practices by which peasants attempt to grow only enough food to last until the next harvest. This "compromise" results in periodic famine interspersed with population growth--no modernization and no social changes. Commercial agriculture in contrast stresses efficient resource allocation, including greater labor input (both time and effort) by offering needed money in-comes only to those who produce food (and other) surpluses. This prevents famine and is a first necessary step toward industrialization and social progress. The author believes a transformation from peasant to commercial agriculture cannot result from market incentives or technical improvements alone but requires political coercion. His case studies of England, Ireland, India and Indonesia are fascinating and well documented....?-Choice .,." Seavoy argues that traditional peasant agriculture operates on different premises from commercial agriculture: its institutions and values minimize labor effort and equalize available food and food-producing resources in what is called "the subsistence compromise," defined as those practices by which peasants attempt to grow only enough food to last until the next harvest. This "compromise" results in periodic famine interspersed with population growth--no modernization and no social changes. Commercial agriculture in contrast stresses efficient resource allocation, including greater labor input (both time and effort) by offering needed money in-comes only to those who produce food (and other) surpluses. This prevents famine and is a first necessary step toward industrialization and social progress. The author believes a transformation from peasant to commercial agriculture cannot result from market incentives or technical improvements alone but requires political coercion. His case studies of England, Ireland, India and Indonesia are fascinating and well documented...."-Choice Read more...