Socialism will most likely be an emergency regime, the mass application of democracy to solve the huge environmental crisis left over from capitalism.
Environmental catastrophe seems to be eerily coupled with economic depression. Famously the drought of the 1930s drove millions of people from the American heartland into the coastal cities, adding to the already swollen pool of labour.
The dust bowl wasn’t just caused by lack of rain. Intensive farming without crop rotation leading to soil depletion was a contributory factor, deep ploughing, removing deep rooted grasses that helped reduce wind erosion. Such farming was determined by the capitalist prerogative, competitive accumulation.
But more than this, disaster is not just man-made but it seems to strike at exactly the worst moment.
The US is crucial to global food markets as the world's largest exporter of corn, soy beans and wheat, so the impact of the drought will be felt across the globe.
Corn prices have already shot up 40% since June to hit all-time highs, soy bean prices have jumped 30% to record levels, and wheat has surged 50%.
It is not just the US. Unseasonal weather, thought to be caused by climate change, is affecting farmers across the world.
It is not just the US. Unseasonal weather, thought to be caused by climate change, is affecting farmers across the world.
This is quite possibly to do with economic margins and effective political will. A crisis can be averted by effective mobilisation of people and resources. Can the current network of states respond effectively to a food crisis, or will the different ruling classes prove too short-sighted, decadent and corrupt to measure up? We have every reason to be worried:
Flash flooding in Russia could also affect the wheat harvest. Traders are particularly concerned about the latter as Russia might limit exports if it is worried about wheat supplies at home, causing further price spikes.
Shortages have been compounded by huge orders for corn and soy beans to make biofuels, in order to meet quotas in the US and Europe.
Shortages have been compounded by huge orders for corn and soy beans to make biofuels, in order to meet quotas in the US and Europe.
We’re often constrained to imagine wars over water, and they may well happen. Imagine wars over food and see a future techno-feudalism.
An interesting solution to reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide: using iron (via the algae that is attracted to it in nature) to lock carbon at the bottom of the ocean. Of course it’s not yet as simple as dumping iron in the sea. We must be careful of unintended consequences. If we dump the profit a planet-wide response becomes possible.