[lbo-talk] agricultural productivity (was Thatcherism)

[Michael Perelman]

Agricutural productivity depends upon the metric you use.  The most common 
is output per unit of labor.  So you get an innovation, such as the short 
handled hoe, to drive workers harder.

Is that an improvement?

Also, much agricultural productivity does not necessarily come from 
agriculture.  The railroad made an entirely different agriculture possibly.

What about the damage to the land.  The Asians farmed the same rice paddies 
for more than 40 centuries.  Other Asians denuded the land.

How can you compare Siberian agriculture with lush California Valleys?  
Does the conquest of Mexican lands constitute agricultural improvment?

Finally modern agriculture depends upon water.  Figuring out how to 
allocate water is a can of worms.  Should the Chinese dam up the water in 
Tibet & dry out India?  Is the Israeli theft of water from Palestine part 
of productivity?

 -- 
Michael Perelman
Economics Department
California State University
Chico, CA 95929

Tel. 530-898-5321
E-Mail michael at ecst.csuchico.edu
michaelperelman.wordpress.com