Food Politics Divide explores how food security influenced the French and American Revolutions. It contrasts 18th-century France, plagued by bread shortages, with America, relatively abundant in food, to understand why revolution erupted in one nation but not the other.
The book argues that differing approaches to managing food scarcity and abundance profoundly shaped their political paths. For instance, France's centralized control, including price controls, intensified social inequalities, while America's market-driven system fostered self-reliance.
The book examines government intervention, socioeconomic impacts of food conditions, and public discourse around food security. It reveals how France's policies fueled resentment towards the monarchy, as revolutionary leaders exploited public anxieties about bread. Conversely, America's relative abundance promoted economic opportunity.
Using government records, market reports, and personal letters, the book progresses by contrasting agricultural landscapes, analyzing specific policies, dissecting social consequences, and concluding with an analysis of political rhetoric surrounding food.
