All this talk of justice in the abstract is a little dizzying. Certainly Karl Marx and VI Lenin did not think that there was a right to food; The former anticipated, and the latter did withhold food to those who would not work under the construction of socialism.
Marx anticipated that under socialism 'a community of free individuals, carrying on their work with the means of production in common' (Cap 1, Sec. 4, p82 L&W ed.). 'A distribution of this portion [of consumption goods] is consequently necessary. The mode of this distribution will vary with the productive organisation of the community..' Marx goes on to suggest that one means might be that 'the share of each individual producer in the means of subsistence is determined by his labour-time'. In such a case, of course, food is not a right, but earned through work.
In the higher state of communism, Marx anticipated that consumption would not be conceived as a right, but as a need to be fulfilled: 'to each according to his needs'. No question of a right there, since rights make no sense outside of the restricted arena of capitalism, and the early stage of socialism. Under communism, Marx suggested, interests would no longer be conceived of as rights, since they would not be in conflict with competing interests (in a case of generalised superfluity).
What Marx envisaged Lenin enacted. Resisting the calls of the Workers' Opposition Lenin insisted on factory discipline and the retention of such means of economic discipline as the wage, and therefore the threat of withholding the means of subsistence. Indeed the entire idea of a 'higher justice' would have been meaningless to Lenin, who understood that in straitened circumstances, the most basic civil liberties might be curtailed in the interests of building a socialist future.
So, what are we left with on the so-called 'right to food'. No Marxist ever observed it in power, or expected it. No capitalist ever observed it in power or expected it. It is an empty phrase. -- James Heartfield Sustaining Architecture in the Anti-Machine Age is available at GBP19.99, plus GBP5.01 p&p from Publications, audacity.org, 8 College Close, Hackney, London, E9 6ER. Make cheques payable to 'Audacity Ltd'. www.audacity.org