The Death of Ramon Gonzalez and the 21st Century Dilemma
The Death of Ramon Gonzalez and the 21st Century Dilemma The Death of Ramon Gonzalez and the 21st Century Dilemma
ought to Cancun. At this writing, the WTO and allied organizations are still back at the drawing board trying to formulate a new foundation for a consensus on global economic relationships. The program of the WTO, in whatever form it may be refashioned, involves serious issues that affect not only agriculture but industry and finance; not only rural life, but the life of those of us who live in cities; not only the economy, but politics, culture, and nature. As we re-examine the issues involved in the death of Ramon Gonzalez, we will see that they are best understood as part of these overarching battles over the future of the world economy and the shape of our lives. We will see again that developments in agriculture and in rural life in Mexico make a very useful starting point for thinking about these larger issues. Points in the brief summary here are developed below. A Quick Summary In almost all nations farm families have continued to leave their home communities and the countryside. In Mexico, farm abandonment has accelerated dramatically. In Mexico, and in most of the world including the United States, the economic and social gap between rich and poor has widened significantly. iv The connections between social inequalities and environmental damage are at least as strong as they were at the original writing of The Death of Ramon Gonzalez. The environmental damage done by chemical-based agricultural technologies has become better understood and more widespread. We know much more about how seriously pesticides harm people and nature. We also have better comprehension of the damage done by pesticides and chemical fertilizers to regional ecosystems and the planetary ecosystem.
The hold of a small number of corporations over the technologies to produce and distribute food has become much tighter, and the influence of farm families and rural communities over land and agriculture has correspondingly diminished. Some of this new control comes from the further development of genetic engineering in agricultural crops. While some scientists and corporations argue that genetic engineering offers a solution to many of the problems of pesticides, many of us believe that the good done by genetic engineering will be outweighed by its tendency to intensify the social and environmental problems inherent in the modern agricultural dilemma. The spread of formal democracy around the world and in Mexico offers some hope in the sense that democratic societies might be expected to address and resolve problems that threaten so many citizens. Unfortunately, formal democracy has not translated very effectively into substantive improvements in the resolution of problems discussed in The Death of Ramon Gonzalez. Mexico’s recent history, as we shall see, is a troubling example of these disappointments. Similarly, the worldwide growth in total material wealth and our greater sophistication in science and technology might in principle offer opportunities to convert our wealth and knowledge into creating healthier communities and healthier ecosystems. There is certainly a myriad of examples of how our increasing wealth and knowledge has been put to good use. However, far too much of our wealth is being converted into what economist John Kenneth Galbraith long ago called “private affluence and public squalor,” the term public squalor here including the doleful state of the natural environment as part of public life and interests. Our increasing wealth and knowledge are still being used more effectively to ruthlessly exploit nature than to restore and protect it.
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- Page 3: globalization understand it as a re
- Page 7 and 8: address the dire situation of their
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- Page 11 and 12: in the name of austerity.) The pros
- Page 13 and 14: some, including myself. People boug
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- Page 21 and 22: study strongly suggests permanent n
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<strong>The</strong> hold <strong>of</strong> a small number <strong>of</strong> corporations over <strong>the</strong> technologies to produce <strong>and</strong><br />
distribute food has become much tighter, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> influence <strong>of</strong> farm families <strong>and</strong> rural<br />
communities over l<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> agriculture has correspondingly diminished. Some <strong>of</strong> this new<br />
control comes from <strong>the</strong> fur<strong>the</strong>r development <strong>of</strong> genetic engineering in agricultural crops.<br />
While some scientists <strong>and</strong> corporations argue that genetic engineering <strong>of</strong>fers a solution to<br />
many <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> problems <strong>of</strong> pesticides, many <strong>of</strong> us believe that <strong>the</strong> good done by genetic<br />
engineering will be outweighed by its tendency to intensify <strong>the</strong> social <strong>and</strong> environmental<br />
problems inherent in <strong>the</strong> modern agricultural dilemma.<br />
<strong>The</strong> spread <strong>of</strong> formal democracy around <strong>the</strong> world <strong>and</strong> in Mexico <strong>of</strong>fers some<br />
hope in <strong>the</strong> sense that democratic societies might be expected to address <strong>and</strong> resolve<br />
problems that threaten so many citizens. Unfortunately, formal democracy has not<br />
translated very effectively into substantive improvements in <strong>the</strong> resolution <strong>of</strong> problems<br />
discussed in <strong>The</strong> <strong>Death</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Ramon</strong> <strong>Gonzalez</strong>. Mexico’s recent history, as we shall see, is<br />
a troubling example <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se disappointments.<br />
Similarly, <strong>the</strong> worldwide growth in total material wealth <strong>and</strong> our greater<br />
sophistication in science <strong>and</strong> technology might in principle <strong>of</strong>fer opportunities to convert<br />
our wealth <strong>and</strong> knowledge into creating healthier communities <strong>and</strong> healthier ecosystems.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re is certainly a myriad <strong>of</strong> examples <strong>of</strong> how our increasing wealth <strong>and</strong> knowledge has<br />
been put to good use. However, far too much <strong>of</strong> our wealth is being converted into what<br />
economist John Kenneth Galbraith long ago called “private affluence <strong>and</strong> public<br />
squalor,” <strong>the</strong> term public squalor here including <strong>the</strong> doleful state <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> natural<br />
environment as part <strong>of</strong> public life <strong>and</strong> interests. Our increasing wealth <strong>and</strong> knowledge are<br />
still being used more effectively to ruthlessly exploit nature than to restore <strong>and</strong> protect it.
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