Farming Efficiency Quotes
This quotation is historically important because it documents the radical change in agriculture that technology brought on. In this period it was steam power. There were steam powered tractors in addition to what he enumerated. The production cost and hence the prices of agricultural products became much lower increasing the standard of living for all consumers. However, the small farmer, without capitol and the scale of a large enough farm, was put in a position in that he could not compete with the major products of agriculture without huge investment in capital equipment and large enough farms. While many went out of business, many others shifted to specialized crops and raising animals where the automation was not as necessary. This process has been on going in American agriculture since the invention of mechanized farm implements, and the small farmer has gradually become more rare. But the process has been ongoing throughout American history.
Environmentalists counter with the fact that the corporate and government interests in growth at any cost will, and have in the past, found a loophole in every reasonable compromise that has been made. Reasonableness is only a device they use to slow regulation until they can either figure out a loophole or use their great fiscal resources to shape public thinking to soften or eliminate the regulation. Therefore some environments argue that they must be as ideological about the environment as the corporations are about their rights to profit and not compromise even when a compromise appears reasonable. Besides, if the corporations always appear to win, the public will think opposing them is futile. So when they can be beaten on something that is unreasonable, they appear weaker and encourage more environmental public activism.
