Author Description
This work covers the growing economic and cultural split between rural and urban America. The author addresses the following issues: the rural-urban wars over land use, control of water, cheap food policy, trade, the use of chemicals and pesticides, animal rights, the bias in urban-dominated media, corruption in food marketing and distribution, what is happening to the land, and who the largest landowners are. In this book, Waterfield suggests that rural America's share of national wealth is declining and that America is the world's best hope for solving the problems of hunger and rural poverty.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This work investigates the widening economic and cultural divide between rural and urban sectors in the United States. Larry W. Waterfield utilizes his background in agricultural journalism to analyze the systemic pressures facing rural communities. He argues that current national policies regarding land use, trade, and food distribution contribute to a decline in rural wealth while simultaneously positioning the American agricultural sector as a critical component in addressing global hunger.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Analysis of rural-urban conflicts regarding land use and water rights
- Examination of food policy, trade regulations, and chemical usage in agriculture
- Critique of media bias and corruption within food marketing systems
Scope Limits
- The text does not provide a comprehensive history of American agrarian policy prior to the late 20th century
- The analysis focuses primarily on domestic policy rather than international agricultural comparative studies
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Readers frequently note the text serves as a pointed critique of urban-centric policy frameworks. Experts highlight this as a relevant resource for understanding the socio-economic tensions that define contemporary rural-urban relations.
Page Count:
235
Publication Date:
1986-01-01
Publisher:
Praeger
ISBN-10:
0030060745
ISBN-13:
9780030060748
Economics
Politics & Social Sciences
Public Policy
Sociology
Rural
Agriculture
Rural Studies