Published: May 05, 2008 09:16 am            

The duty of the government

John Ruskin said in 1876, “The first duty of government is to see that people have food, fuel, and clothes ....” There are millions of hungry people in the world, some dying from starvation and now the world’s food supply is in more critically short supply than ever before.

Many world leaders are re-examining the theory of British economist and demographer Thomas Robert Malthus. In 1798 he published an essay on the Principle of Population. Malthus argued that population will always tend to outrun the food supply.

The increase of people will take place, if unchecked, in a geometrical progression — 1,2,4,8 — while the means of subsistence will increase only in an arithmetical progression — 1,2,3,4.

The United States, and the world, are trying to cope with the worst food inflation in two decades. Rising food costs may set up an either-or equation; to pay for food, give up something.

The number of people on federal food stamps has increased and charitable food banks struggle to keep shelves stocked. The media report food riots and some stores ration rice.

The food shortage crisis is exacerbated and compounded by diverting food crops to energy. The world demands fuel for “high and mighty” SUVs. The supply of corn and grains for ethanol causes farmers to switch from soybeans to the more profitable corn. Had Malthus foreseen today’s world of diversion for crops to biofuels, he would have changed the subsistence progression from ones to halves.

While the world is being alerted to food and fuel problems, the presidential hopefuls have been seeking more moola. One estimate of total spending of candidates, present and those no longer running — $691,479,424. Campaign financing controls were attempted in congress a few years ago but it was mostly termed a joke, with loopholes.

The remaining three candidates are spending millions to air biased (naturally) ads to combat charges, such as Sen. Barack Obama’s ‘bitter’ remarks — small-town people with their lives of bowling, hunting, church going and greasy food. Understandable, all office seekers want the support of working people.

Hillary Clinton, John McCain and Obama want to be involved in solutions to people’s problems to show compassion.

Imagine that the three decided to use only 30 seconds of one-minute ads for their message, then state a disclaimer; “The costs of the remaining 30 seconds of this ad will be donated to help, in a small way, organizations seeking to solve problems of health and hunger in America.”

Wouldn’t that act of compassion for those less fortunate get as many votes as millions vanishing in the air waves?

Back to Ruskin, “The duty of government is to ....”

Cecil Acuff is a Perkins resident.

        

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