Publisher's Synopsis
One of the most productive economic institutions in history is in crisis: American agriculture. The last five years, between 1997 and 2002, has seen a restructuring of agriculture - the regional economy of rural America has faced economic depression. However, farm productivity increases even as the crisis deepens. Margaret Fitzsimmons addresses the roots of the crisis. She draws on recent work in political economy, geography, sociology and planning to propose a new theory of the dynamics of agriculture in capitalist societies. The book examines the three relationships which have contributed to the crisis: that between agriculture and manufacturing; between farms and the economic institutions; between urban and rural regions. These relationships restructure agriculture but also provide opportunities for popular initiatives of self-reliance and political change.
