Two Conditions Necessary for Economic Progress in Agriculture

Abstract

In a consideration of the economic problems that confront agriculture there is much wisdom in a return to the classical tradition of treating these problems within the context of the political economy. In our division of labour in professional effort we have departed from this tradition; and our work has been weakened as a consequence. The Older Economists were deeply concerned about agriculture. They did not, however, make the mistake of treating agriculture in isolation, as if it belonged in another category to be studied, one might be led to suppose, by a different set of analytical models and presumably, largely by surveys and statistics. Such procedures certainly are not in keeping with what the Older Economists did as they put together an engine for economic analysis and laid down a roadbed for policy. On the contrary, their major premises and the basic policies that emerged were heavily weighted with agricultural affairs. This is evident when we consider the attention they gave to the production of food, the distribution of rewards to factors, particularly to rent and land. Whether our analysis pertains to labour, finance, trade, agriculture, or any other problem sphere, we will do well to formulate our approach in terms of the economy as a whole. We need especially to view agriculture as an integral part of the political economy and not as a series of particular farm problems treated as if they were self-contained.

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