CDI020121547 lecture 3

NSS Enriching Knowledge Lecture Series:

International cooperation and
regional politics since 1945 (3):
Globalisation of Food:
Politics, Economy and Society (New)

Dr. KWONG Chi-man
Hong Kong Baptist University

CDI020121547

1.12.2012


C on t en t s

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Food: Simple Matter of Demand and Supply?
Globalisation of Food, 1492-1939
Food and the World Wars
Globalisation of Food after 1945:

 Economy
 Politics
 Society

Globalisation of Food: Economy, Politics, and Society

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I: Food: Simple Matter of Demand and Supply?

Globalisation of Food: Economy, Politics, and Society

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F oo d : S i mp le M a t t er of D em a n d a n d S up p l y ?

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Age of Plenty

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Food for a far m l abo urer, Bri ta i n , 1796
Th e m eal s of a mi l l w ork er, Bri ta i n , 1876
A b l og g er ’ s mea l , Ho n g Kon g , 2 01 2

Famine Cases After 1945

Globalisation of Food: Economy, Politics, and Society

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F oo d : S i mp le M a t t er of D em a n d a n d S up p l y ?

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Food: solely economic issue?
Human rights issue?

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“ Th e Fr eedom fr om W an t ” – Fou r Freedo m s of Fr an kl i n Ro osevel t , U S Pr esi den t, 19 41
Un i v ersa l Decl a ra ti on of Hu man Ri g h ts, 1 948

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Ev ery on e h as th e r i g h t to a sta n d ar d o f l i v i n g ad eq uat e for t h e h ea l th a n d w el l -bei n g of h i msel f an d of h i s
fam i l y , i n cl u di n g fo od… (Ar ti cl e 2 5) .

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F oo d : S i mp le M a t t er of D em a n d a n d S up p l y ?

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International dimension

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Gl ob al mov emen t of food an d i deas
In te rn ati on a l tr ade
Pol i t i cs an d In tern ati on al r el ati on s

Social dimension

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Cl a ss

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Eth n i ci t y an d Iden ti ty

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E a ti n g h a b i t a s e x p r e s s i o n o f c la ss i d e n t i t y

N a t i o n a l i d e n ti t y a n d n a t i o n a l c ui s i n e
R e g i o n a l c ul t ur e

Cul tur e

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Globalisation
G l o c a l i s a t io n

Globalisation of Food: Economy, Politics, and Society

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II: Globalisation of Food, 1493-1939

Globalisation of Food: Economy, Politics, and Society

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G lo b a l is a t i on of F oo d , 1 4 9 3 - 1 9 3 9

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Age of Discovery, 1493-1850

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Tr ad e an d Col on i al i sm
Movem e n t of food fr om th e Amer i cas t o Eura si a

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S ug ar can e, spi ce, fr ui ts…
Pot ato a n d Ma i ze

Pop ul a ti on i n cr ease

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G lo b a l is a t i on of F oo d , 1 4 9 3 - 1 9 3 9

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The Mid-Nineteenth Century to WWI

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In cr ea se i n pr od ucti vi ty

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Staple food – wheat, barley, rice…
M e a t – (1 6 k g p e r p e r s o n / ye a r i n 18 7 0 – 5 0+ k g p e r p e r s o n / y e a r i n 1 9 1 4 )

In du st r i al i sa ti on

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De h y d r a t io n
P a st e u r is a t io n
R e f r ig e r a t i o n
C a n n in g
Tr a n s p o r ta t io n

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Railway and steamships

Em er g en ce o f l a r g e cor por ati on s an d l obby g rou ps

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E . g . U n i te d F r ui t C o m p a n y, 1 8 99 - 1 9 7 0 a n d M e a t U n i o n
M a r k e t i n g a n d c o n s ume r is m

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G lo b a l is a t i on of F oo d , 1 4 9 3 - 1 9 3 9

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The Mid-Nineteenth Century to WWI (con’t)

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In te rn ati on a l tr ade – Free T r ade

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Free tr ade an d di v i si on of l abo ur

Ba n an a rep ubl i cs (mon ocul tur e)
S out h Amer i ca an d Au str al i a

Mi g r at i on an d ch an g i n g di et

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G lo b a l is a t i o n o f F o o d , 1 4 9 3 - 1 9 3 9

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S el l g oods a n d bu y food/ Gr ow food an d b uy g oods? - Aut ar ch y o r Gl oba l i sat i on ?
German example (1870-1914):

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Con texts: Ger man fa rmer s v s. maj o r expo rt er s of g ra i n ( US A, Russi a a n d Can ada ); pop ul a ti on i n cr ease; i n du str i
al i sa ti on ; ur ban i sati on ; decr ease of ag r i cu l tu ra l p op; p ol i t i ca l str u ct ur e of Ger m an y

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Pr i m e Mi n i ster Otto v on Bi sma rck i n t r oduc ed i m p or t t ar i ff of g r ai n t o p r ot ect fa rmer s an d l an d ow n i n g cl a ss ( J
un kers) – h i g h pr i ce for i m por ted food

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At tem p t to d i sman tl e ta ri ff batti er fai l ed - con ser va ti ve oppo si ti o n
Vi ci ous cy cl e: i n cr easi n g l y di ffi cul t t o feed w or ki n g p opul at i on w i t h h om e-g row n food – i n crea sed r el i a n ce on i
m por t – un w i l l i n g to br eak tar i ff ba r ri er

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III: Food and the World Wars

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F oo d a nd t he Wo r ld W a r s

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Germany

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Con text: U n ab l e to sustai n i tsel f d ur i n g t h e Fi r st Wor l d War un d er Br i ti sh bl ocka de – “ Tu rn i p Wi n te
r ” : n ear -fa mi n e i n 191 7; 750,000 di ed of m al n u tr i t i on

Please use the following links to view two pictures.

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F ood a nd t he W o r ld W a r s

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Germany (con’t)

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Au ta rch y vs Fr ee tr a de? Debate i n t h e 192 0s

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Ar g um e n t o f A ut a r c h y w o n
S up p o r t e d b y r ig h t - w i n g mo v e m e n t s

Th e Na zi s an d Food

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Reich Food Corporation – total state control since 1933
“ B l o o d a n d s o i l” : R a c e , a g r i c ult u r e , a n d L e b e n sr a um
U n d e r s t o o d t h e i n a b il i t y t o f e e d t h e G e r m a n s d ur i n g wa r t im e – a t t a c k th e So v i e t U n i o n !
Generalplan Ost, 1940

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F oo d a nd t he Wo r ld W a r s

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Japan

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Con text: Ra pi d mod er n i sati on aft er 1868
Ch an g i n g eati n g h a bi ts

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M o r e a n i ma l p r o t e i n
I n c r e a s e in r ic e c o n s ump t io n

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25% increase from 1890s to 1914
Reliance on colonial supply: Korea and Taiwan

S ti l l n ot en oug h !

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M a n c h ur ia – “ P l a n f o r t h e S e t t le me n t o f O n e M i ll i o n H o us e h o ld s o v e r Tw e n ty Y e a r s ”
C h i n a a n d S o ut h e a st As i a

 Italy
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Ba tt l e fo r Gr ai n 192 0s

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F ood a nd t he W o r ld W a r s

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Allies attempt to coordinate food

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Com bi n ed Fo od Boar d (An g l o-Am eri ca n Cooper at i on )
At tem p ts to i n cr ease pr odu cti on – i d ea of n u tr i t i on sci en ce
S ti l l , fami n e i n In d i a

Meals of the Soldiers, WWII

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Axi s
Al l i es

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IV: Globalisation of Food after 1945: Economy

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G lo b a l is a t i on of F oo d a f t e r 1 9 4 5 : Ec on o my

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Post 1945 socio-economic development

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Rel a ti v e p eace
Pop ul a ti on i n cr ease
In du st r i al i sa ti on an d ur b an i sa ti on

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I n c r e a s e in w e a l th
C h a n g e i n l i f e s t yl e

Mul t i n at i on al s

Globalisation of Food: Economy, Politics, and Society

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G lo b a l is a t i on of F oo d a f t e r 1 9 4 5 : Ec on o my

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Technological change

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Ag r i - ch emi stry
Hy br i ds
Pa ck ag i n g
Refr i g er ati n g
Tr an spor t
Exam pl e: factor y sh i p s

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G lo b a l is a t i on of F oo d a f t e r 1 9 4 5 : Ec on o my

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The Problem of Distribution

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Un even d i str i bu ti on
Obesi t y i n dev el op ed coun tr i es
Fam i n es ar oun d th e w or l d

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Cau ses

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Natural disaster
Internal and international politics
International trade

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V: Globalisation of Food after 1945: Politics

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G lo b a l is a t i on of F oo d a f t e r 1 9 4 5 : Po li t ic s

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World food situation in 1945

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Overal l amoun t of food avai l abl e to th e w orl d: 12% less th an before the war – and a d rough t br oke ou t in 1946
Man y h ad l ess th an h alf of w ha t th ey had i n 1945 th an in 1939
Europe

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P r o d uc t i o n w a s o n l y 3 6 % o f p r e w a r l e ve l
G e r ma n y : 1 , 0 0 0 c a l or ie s p e r p e r s o n p e r d a y i n c i t i e s
S o me G e r ma n s lo s t a p o un d a d a y i n 1 9 4 6

2 mi ll i o n d i e d i n t h e S o vi e t U n i o n
E v e n B r it a in h a d t o in t r o d u c e r a t i o n in g i n 19 4 5

Asia

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F a m in e i n C h i n a , K o r e a , Ja v a , a n d V i e t n a m
3 0 mi l l i o n i n C h i n a s uf f e r e d f r o m un d e r - n o ur i s h me n t
1 0 0 , 0 0 0 s t a r v e d t o d e a t h in T o k y o t h r e e mo n t h s a f te r t h e w a r

Th e Am ericas

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G lo b a l is a t i on of F oo d a f t e r 1 9 4 5 : Po li t ic s

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Food as Cold War Weapon

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Ber l i n Ai r l i ft, 1 948

Mar sh al l P l an VS War saw P act

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R e l ie f p a c k a g e ( CAR E ) f r o m t h e U S A

Pol i t i cs of Ai d

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Ab un d a n c e a s p r o p a g a n d a : H o n g Ko n g
C h i n e s e f o o d a n d w a t e r : H o n g Ko n g

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East Pearl River Water
Ng Fung Hong
Food trains during the 1967 Riot

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G lo b a l is a t i on of F oo d a f t e r 1 9 4 5 : Po li t ic s

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International Cooperation Attempts (By UN)

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Th e In t er n ati on al In sti tute of Ag r i cul t ur e, 19 05-1 945
Com bi n ed Fo od Boar d dur i n g th e S econ d W or l d War
Un i t ed Na ti o n s Con fer en ce on Food an d Ag ri cul t ur e, 1943 ( Hot S pr i n g Con fer en ce)

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N o t o n l y a b o ut f o o d a i d
Al s o p ut fo r wa r d t h e i d e a o f e a t i n g h e a lt h il y

Food an d Ag r i cu l tur e Or g an i sati on , 1 945Wor l d Food Pr og r amme, 19 61
Wor l d Food Con fer en c e, 1974
Wor l d Food Coun ci l , 197 4-1993
Wor l d S umm i t on Fo od S ecur i ty , 1996, 2 002 , 2 009

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G lo b a l is a t i on of F oo d a f t e r 1 9 4 5 : Po li t ic s

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International Cooperation Attempts (By Others)

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Wor l d Tr ad e or g an i za ti on , 19 93
Gl ob al Fo od S ecur i ty Pr og r am (Wor l d Ba n k) , 2 010
Eur ope an Un i on

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E ur o p e a n F o o d Sa fe t y Aut h o r it y

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