Abstract

The U.S. food industry displays the ugly side of capitalism, manifesting numerous examples of what Thorstein Veblen termed “industrial sabotage.” The evolution of agricultural production from small family farms to huge industrial agribusinesses has been accompanied by toxic pesticide and herbicide use, unsafe industrial meat, and unsustainable farming practices. Meanwhile, industrial food production shifted diets from primarily whole foods to mostly ultra-processed food-like substances. Ultra-processed food is designed to be addictive by incorporating copious amounts of sugar, salt, fat, and flavorings, fueling the obesity crisis in the process. The solutions to our food problems lie along the lines suggested by Veblen, and involve putting the productive people of society, especially farmers, back in charge of production, while empowering the common people and their communities. Furthermore, government agencies with teeth and a series of targeted regulations can deliver on the promise of countervailing power suggested by John Kenneth Galbraith.

摘要

美国食品工业展示了资本主义丑陋的一面，体现了索尔斯坦·凡勃伦所谓的“工业破坏”的众多例子。农业生产从小型家庭农场到大型工业农业企业的演变伴随着有毒农药和除草剂的使用、不安全的工业肉类和不可持续的耕作方式。与此同时，工业食品生产将饮食从主要是全食物转变为主要是超加工食品类物质。超加工食品旨在通过加入大量糖、盐、脂肪和调味剂来使人上瘾，在此过程中加剧了肥胖危机。解决我们的粮食问题的方法与凡勃伦建议的路线一致，包括让社会中的生产者，尤其是农民重新掌管生产，同时赋予普通民众及其社区权力。此外，具有牙齿和一系列有针对性的法规的政府机构可以兑现约翰肯尼思加尔布雷思建议的反补贴权承诺。