Customer Reviews

How the Other Half Dies

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This book is extremely well written... the only negative about it is that all the information is from the 1970s. George explains aspects of agribuisiness that every person should be aware of. everyone should read this book. the info is solid, and very compelling. George explains that it takes 20 pounds of grain to produce one pound of beef, she lays out the extreme economic and nutritional inefficiency of the way we buy and eat food in developed countires.

Much like other reviewers I read Susan George's book more than 20 years ago when I was an undergraduate part-time arts student.Her basic premise can be summerised-food is grown for profit,not to feed people.She details how the overpopulation myth is used by western governments to create the impression that food shortages and famine are a result of having too many mouths to feed,and insufficient agricultural resources to feed them.
She goes on to explain how Agribusiness operates:Local elites are financed by the likes of the World Bank,not to grow food to feed local populations.Rather they are granted loans that will,in the opinion of the World Bank be repayable and increase a country's GNP.Which, in economic terms indicates the Bank's correct loan policy:loan repaid with interest,and GNP increased.
Susan George,however,points out the negative effects of placing the economic capacity to control agricultural produce in the hands of a few local elites.The ramifications being a shift from producing food to feed people,whose ancestor's may have worked their native land for thousands of years,providing food,clothing and housing for themselves.These lands, in most cases have fertile soil and,in good times produce abundant crops.However,when flood,drought,or crop failure for any reason occurs,the poor farmers have little choice but to accept the offer of the local elites and sell their land to avoid starvation.They then have little choice,but to relocate to the already overcrowded cities in an attempt to find work.
And so,cities have growing slums,poverty,crime,disease and all the other maladies overcrowding and poverty creates.
The elites of course do not utilize the land to increase food production,which could provide food for the local population.Rather,the elite farmers will produce cash crops for,in most cases export to western countries where good profits are made.In most cases the crops will not even be staple foods which the locals could consume anyway.For example,pineapples grown and canned in the Philippines take up a great deal of arable land, which could of course otherwise be used to feed the local population.Another example would be Tea plantations in Sri Lanka,where the rich highland soils could produce bumper crops.
Then there is the massive wastage-billions of tons of food dumped every day in food outlets around the globe.
Yes,Susan George has effectively exploded the myth that the world cannot produce enough food to feed its growing population.
This reminds one of a quote from Gandhi:"The World has enough for every man's need,but not enough for every man's greed.

I read this book nearly ten years ago, but it was a wonderful eye-opener, very easy to read, interesting discussions ensued.

I don't remember anything specific about the book, having read it nearly twenty years ago, but I remember that I was especially taken by the poem at the book's beginning. No doubt the book's information is dated, but it was well and passionately written.