by Don Nelson
The gap is as large as it has ever been – haves vs have nots
It would seem that the fate of the civilized world has always been in the hands of the most wealthy. Today we find that the gap between those with wealth and those with out has grown larger than it has ever been.
In a recent pole the greatest majority of Americans indicated that it was one of the most concerning issues for them. When asked how they thought the wealthiest among us achieved that status the result were about evenly split between those that believed it was a matter of birth. Having been born with the proverbial ‘silver spoon in their mouth.’ The other half opined that the wealthiest had earned their status by hard work and good business decisions.
That got me to thinking. What difference does it make how the wealth was come by? The issue is not who when or how – the issue is “Okay, now they are among the wealthiest in the Land and perhaps on the face of the earth. What have they done to support the land and its people that made possible their wealth?
A narrative came to mind. It is about three farmers. One of these farmers was born into a family that had been, for years, a successful farming family. As the years went by the elder farmer, in the family, had grown their wealth. He had acquired additional acres and been self consciously responsible with his planting and caring for the land. When he died the totality of his effort passed on to his only son – the subject of this part of the tail.
His son had learned well from his Father and had continued to grow the family farm and wealth. During a period, following WWII his yield was exceptional. So much so, he had to pile it in long rows on the ground. Wheat was not selling locally for a price he felt he good afford to sell at. Besides the availability of covered storage was in short supply. Despair was setting in. The wealthy farmer seemed on the cusp of having to forfeit the excellent harvest to an under priced market. One morning as he scanned his news paper he saw a headline that promised a solution. Wheat was being exported to Russia. It was bringing close to $5.00 a bushel. That was twice over what he could make locally. He had his solution and way more money than he anticipated. Thus he began a practice familiar to every capitalist – making money. All he made was turned back into the farm and all he produced was exported to other lands. As far as he was concerned – it was his right to make as much wealth as he could. He had no stated obligation to provide his product to citizens of his own Nation.
Our second wealthy farmer came by his wealth the “old fashioned” way. He earned it. Starting as a small time family farm he learned to take advantage of what opportunities the Government afforded. He, too, was a wise businessman. With the help of his wife and four children – three sons and one daughter – his efforts began to pay dividends. Each year, that his profits allowed, he purchased a few more acres of land. He carefully planned his crop rotation and always seemed to have just what the market desired. He worked very hard. He, too, experienced a down turn in the price of wheat. His storage silos began to fill up. He started putting the grain on the ground in long rows. He feared it would ruin if the rains came and he could not protect it. He, too, read the headline in his paper – Wheat selling at $5.00 and more per bushel. It was enough to cause rejoicing in the household. The harvest would not ruin and would not be sold at a price barely enough to break even – no the wheat would sell and they would grow the farm. This Farmer also saw the Golden Egg in exporting his product. It seemed to make no sense trying to deal with the local markets when “foreign interests” would pay quite well for his efforts. Therefore he grew his wealth and his family prospered. Yet not one grain or bushel went into the local economy.
The third farmer – or so he was called – in the story was neither wealthy nor successful when judged by a standard set by the two wealthy, successful farm owners. No, he was what many called a ‘dirt farmer.’ He worked from before sun up until well after sun down. He managed to harvest and sell locally, but never enough to do much more than buy enough seed to reuse what acres he owned. He, too, read the news papers but really had no hope of reaping the rewards the wheat export business afforded. In fact, he felt an obligation to supply what his farm could produce to his local market. He was a respected individual. People saw that he worked very hard. His family could be seen in the fields with him on a daily basis. They all gave that farm everything they had to give.
One day a local representative of a wheat growers association paid him a visit. The visit was an enquiry as to whether the farmer could increase his production, seeing that more wheat would feed more people. Times were tough and people needed whatever they could afford. To increase his production would require more acres. “No problem” the visitor gleefully offered. “I can arrange for you to purchase an additional 120 acres with nothing more than the existing property as collateral.” At the end of the day – it was done. The ‘dirt farmer’ now had almost double the land he had previous to signing away the entirety of his livelihood, should he fail to produce. What had he gained? He knew the community would be grateful for his additional produce. He knew that it was for the good of the people that he toiled. He knew that if he did not succeed, all of the past labors would be swept away by the banker that he signed the papers for. Was it worth it? Did he make the smartest decision? Should he have refused the offer and the challenge that was laid at his doorstep? But, he really was in no position to worry about those questions. He had to work – work harder now than ever before. His family would have to carry a bigger share of the load – and they would help feed this great land – the great land that had made it possible for him to have a farm and work it. The great land that needed his out put so that others might feed their families. The great land, which made it possible for him to lose everything at the stroke of a pen. Yes, he had to work very, very hard – until that hard work killed him.
See also
What is Conservatism? by Philip Agre
"That the seat and tedious labor of the farmer, early and late, cold and hot, wet and dry, should be converted into the pleasure of a small number of men-that continued severity be laid on 19 parts of the land to feed the inordinate lusts and delicate appetites of the 20th, is so far from the will of the great Governor of the world, [it] is wretched and blasphemous." - William Penn, 1669
In a recent pole the greatest majority of Americans indicated that it was one of the most concerning issues for them. When asked how they thought the wealthiest among us achieved that status the result were about evenly split between those that believed it was a matter of birth. Having been born with the proverbial ‘silver spoon in their mouth.’ The other half opined that the wealthiest had earned their status by hard work and good business decisions.
That got me to thinking. What difference does it make how the wealth was come by? The issue is not who when or how – the issue is “Okay, now they are among the wealthiest in the Land and perhaps on the face of the earth. What have they done to support the land and its people that made possible their wealth?
A narrative came to mind. It is about three farmers. One of these farmers was born into a family that had been, for years, a successful farming family. As the years went by the elder farmer, in the family, had grown their wealth. He had acquired additional acres and been self consciously responsible with his planting and caring for the land. When he died the totality of his effort passed on to his only son – the subject of this part of the tail.
His son had learned well from his Father and had continued to grow the family farm and wealth. During a period, following WWII his yield was exceptional. So much so, he had to pile it in long rows on the ground. Wheat was not selling locally for a price he felt he good afford to sell at. Besides the availability of covered storage was in short supply. Despair was setting in. The wealthy farmer seemed on the cusp of having to forfeit the excellent harvest to an under priced market. One morning as he scanned his news paper he saw a headline that promised a solution. Wheat was being exported to Russia. It was bringing close to $5.00 a bushel. That was twice over what he could make locally. He had his solution and way more money than he anticipated. Thus he began a practice familiar to every capitalist – making money. All he made was turned back into the farm and all he produced was exported to other lands. As far as he was concerned – it was his right to make as much wealth as he could. He had no stated obligation to provide his product to citizens of his own Nation.
Our second wealthy farmer came by his wealth the “old fashioned” way. He earned it. Starting as a small time family farm he learned to take advantage of what opportunities the Government afforded. He, too, was a wise businessman. With the help of his wife and four children – three sons and one daughter – his efforts began to pay dividends. Each year, that his profits allowed, he purchased a few more acres of land. He carefully planned his crop rotation and always seemed to have just what the market desired. He worked very hard. He, too, experienced a down turn in the price of wheat. His storage silos began to fill up. He started putting the grain on the ground in long rows. He feared it would ruin if the rains came and he could not protect it. He, too, read the headline in his paper – Wheat selling at $5.00 and more per bushel. It was enough to cause rejoicing in the household. The harvest would not ruin and would not be sold at a price barely enough to break even – no the wheat would sell and they would grow the farm. This Farmer also saw the Golden Egg in exporting his product. It seemed to make no sense trying to deal with the local markets when “foreign interests” would pay quite well for his efforts. Therefore he grew his wealth and his family prospered. Yet not one grain or bushel went into the local economy.
The third farmer – or so he was called – in the story was neither wealthy nor successful when judged by a standard set by the two wealthy, successful farm owners. No, he was what many called a ‘dirt farmer.’ He worked from before sun up until well after sun down. He managed to harvest and sell locally, but never enough to do much more than buy enough seed to reuse what acres he owned. He, too, read the news papers but really had no hope of reaping the rewards the wheat export business afforded. In fact, he felt an obligation to supply what his farm could produce to his local market. He was a respected individual. People saw that he worked very hard. His family could be seen in the fields with him on a daily basis. They all gave that farm everything they had to give.
One day a local representative of a wheat growers association paid him a visit. The visit was an enquiry as to whether the farmer could increase his production, seeing that more wheat would feed more people. Times were tough and people needed whatever they could afford. To increase his production would require more acres. “No problem” the visitor gleefully offered. “I can arrange for you to purchase an additional 120 acres with nothing more than the existing property as collateral.” At the end of the day – it was done. The ‘dirt farmer’ now had almost double the land he had previous to signing away the entirety of his livelihood, should he fail to produce. What had he gained? He knew the community would be grateful for his additional produce. He knew that it was for the good of the people that he toiled. He knew that if he did not succeed, all of the past labors would be swept away by the banker that he signed the papers for. Was it worth it? Did he make the smartest decision? Should he have refused the offer and the challenge that was laid at his doorstep? But, he really was in no position to worry about those questions. He had to work – work harder now than ever before. His family would have to carry a bigger share of the load – and they would help feed this great land – the great land that had made it possible for him to have a farm and work it. The great land that needed his out put so that others might feed their families. The great land, which made it possible for him to lose everything at the stroke of a pen. Yes, he had to work very, very hard – until that hard work killed him.
See also
What is Conservatism? by Philip Agre
No comments:
Post a Comment