Its the Economy, Stupid

So much negative gloom and doom information about the economy and the global economic situation has been in the US press recently. I almost feel immune to most of it given how cheap it is to live off American money here. But nonetheless I hate reading about it, but I do not want to turn into one of those people to excuse myself from reading the news on the claim that it is too depressing.

In the midst of hearing me complain about this depressing attitude of the US media, one of my best friends (who spends ten hour days in the US working on fair trade issues) reminded me that the economy has been in dire need of significant changes for years. True. The way the economy runs needs a wake up call.

So then I question what I am doing here with my research. And it comes to the economy. Essentially I am studying the economy of rice in the northeast of China. But I am not an economist or an agricultural economist. And I am not a macroeconomics expert of how China as a whole is surviving this crisis. I am not trained at all in economics or business. But that helps me bring such a new and fresh perspective to what we mean when we say ‘the economy.’

In my visits to street markets, I note the prices and varieties of rice being offered. I ask the vendors where the rice comes from, where they buy it, etc. And it all seems so simple. They go to the place where the rice is grown and buy it in bulk to sell at their stall. Their prices match the prices as the guy at the next stall. Most vendors are selling the same kind of rice for the same price. It is direct and not complex. Few ‘middle men’ are involved in the northeast rice economy. The chain between rice production in the fields to consumption on city streets is small. People are fed and families make livings.

However, it is not quite that simple and easy. There are a lot more factors that play into creating this rice economy here. Those indirect social, cultural and political factors will be (I hope) what makes my research compelling. But the reality-the practical aspect-of what I hope to show in doing all this research, is that the chains from production to consumption can be short. Shortening that chain can be a step in the right direction towards the elusive ideal of ‘sustainable.’

I do not mean to suggest at all that China can be a ‘model’ for social, economic, or environmentally sustainable agriculture. Far from it, in many ways. But sustainable is definitely not as simple as planting a garden in your yard to supply your food (I applaud the symbolic nature of the new White House garden, but recognize that it stops there).

One of the most fundamental reasons for my research, I think, has to do with gaining a better understanding of how we understand the economy of food and agriculture. If we can understand how the economy works in a variety of different political and cultural contexts, then we can begin to think about new, creative, innovative strategies for thinking about the chains linking agricultural production to food consumption. And that just might help us think about the complex issues we find in other aspects of the economy.

This may not resonate with everyone, but re-framing the problem brings me a little bit of hope. Sorry for the long post. If you've made it this far through my ramblings, here are some pictures of rice vendors at morning street food markets in Harbin.