Without them you end up importing all your food from Cheapistan. But then Cheapistan has a famine (or gets invaded), and then you have a problem. You can’t just start up food production that quickly to avoid all your people starving.
The problem starts with the belief in simplifications that in no way reflect reality. “True capitalism” doesn’t exist, can never exist, and is as undesirable as the plague. The connection with “free markets” is a feat of propaganda. This idea that socialism has no “free markets” is proof of the propaganda’s success. Economies depend on markets. The capitalist idea of organisation is an anathema to free markets. While socialism is the closest one can get to a functioning “free market” system.
Getting back to farming subsidies, and subsidies in general. The issue is the distortions introduced through lobbyists and corporate machinations. The provision of subsidies is not governed by the question “what is best for the population?” Rather, it is about staying in power, serving clients, not people.
Farm subsidies are a tricky one though.
Without them you end up importing all your food from Cheapistan. But then Cheapistan has a famine (or gets invaded), and then you have a problem. You can’t just start up food production that quickly to avoid all your people starving.
The problem starts with the belief in simplifications that in no way reflect reality. “True capitalism” doesn’t exist, can never exist, and is as undesirable as the plague. The connection with “free markets” is a feat of propaganda. This idea that socialism has no “free markets” is proof of the propaganda’s success. Economies depend on markets. The capitalist idea of organisation is an anathema to free markets. While socialism is the closest one can get to a functioning “free market” system.
Getting back to farming subsidies, and subsidies in general. The issue is the distortions introduced through lobbyists and corporate machinations. The provision of subsidies is not governed by the question “what is best for the population?” Rather, it is about staying in power, serving clients, not people.