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"Why can't people feed themselves" Review

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Why are some nations so wealthy and dominant in the world; while others are so poor and weak?

This question is related the article "Why can't people feed themselves" written by Frances Moore Lappe and Joseph Collins. My book is not clear so I can not get started answering the question seems to be broad in nature. Please help me refine my ideas, thank you.

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Solution Summary

The solution is an extensive 1,800 word narrative that discusses social inequalities especially in relation to wealth and power between nations and within society. Based on the essay "Why can't people feed themselves" by Frances Moore Lappe and Joseph Collins, it looks at the development of inequality between peoples and nations from the time of the colonial period to the present, linking economic capacity and poverty to political and economic power. References are listed for expansion. A word version of the solution is attached for easy printing.

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Dear Student,
Hi. You are right, the question is too broad and there are many avenues where we can go to reason out why there is a difference in national capacities and stability. The importance here is to find a perspective from which we can argue a point. You pointed out that this is based on the work of Frances Moore Lappe and Joseph Collins, therefore while we can point out to a number of reasons, we must anchor the essay/your answer on what they say and then, based on that, react. The solution below does that and it should get you started. If you have any questions regarding the solution, just let me know and I'd be happy to clarify things for you. You can also use the listed references for expansion. Good luck with your paper!

Sincerely,
OTA 105878/Xenia Jones
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Nation Building, Power & Colonialism

They say history is written by the victors and they are also the ones that dictate the order of the world. Even since man waged war for power and territory, the ones with the most powerful armies and the most central organization get control over the other. Those who lost are subjugated and assimilated into the conquering culture. This has been proven time and again in history - consider the triumph of Rome of Greece and of Rome over the Celts and a huge number of other peoples and populations that they have conquered to join their Empire. With power and control comes wealth and the wealth of the new territories from its raw materials and land to its human resources are divided among the elite and powerful of the conquering nation. It is up to the conquering nation to allow to progress or totally subjugate the cultural practices of the peoples it conquered which in the end dictates the identity that the subjugated and the popular culture of that powerful nation have. This was the case during the age of Colonization as well, as Western nations sent their navies exploring around the known world, to conquer territories and new land, to look for spices and other raw materials for the purpose of enriching their nations via new territories and trade. Initially, the most powerful of these nations were Portugal and Spain, in fact in the 16th century the Pope, then the center of religious power in Europe 'divided' the world between them, making the very first explorers under the direction and power of the Iberian crowns. Christopher Columbus 'discovered' the New World for Spain and Vasco da Gama explored Africa, finally crossing the Indian Ocean to reach India and the Moluccas for Portugal. Primarily and exploring endeavour, these soon became a naval exercise as exploration for the Western nations became a 'free-for-all'. Monarchs and nobles funded explorations in exchange for goods and territories. Asia, Africa and the Americas were 'divided' and as Western explorers first met other peoples of the world, from the culture clash came the immediate exercise to conquer and subjugate. The weaker peoples and nations lost to the explorers and ...

Solution provided by:
Xenia Rochelle Jones, MA, PhD (IP)
Education
  • MPhil/PhD (IP), Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
  • MA, Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
  • Certificate, Geva Ulpan (via Universita Tel Aviv)
  • BA, University of the Philippines
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