MIM NOTES No. 190  July 15, 1999

Genetically altered crops losing battle in Europe

by MC5

The struggle to prevent profit-guided genetic engineering of crops 
has reached a new level. On June 9, a survey of English land 
managers found that "nearly 58 per cent of its rural members were 
concerned about the impacts of such crops on land values. About 64 
per cent said that the previous or present growing of altered 
crops would make the land harder to sell." On the same day, a 
proponent of "GM" (genetically modified foods) named Northern 
Foods announced it was phasing out the foods itself in response to 
consumer demand in England. 

Capitalist anarchy of production: competition toward what? 

Some would say that these changes prove that the property system 
works in connection to the environment. However, MIM has pointed 
out that the contention amongst property-holders on damages to 
their properties does not prevent pollution or other damages to 
the environment from being profitable. There is nothing saying 
that one group of landowners will not win against another in the 
capitalist court and make GM crops or any of various kinds of 
pollution reality--regardless of health to the people. 

We do not think the matter should come down to who makes the most 
money and is able to mount the most effective legal battles. That 
is why there is no alternative to socialist scientific planning of 
production. In addition, various land managers can claim that 
their "right" to make profit is infringed on by other owners who 
object. We find it ludicrous that such a serious matter as GM 
crops could come down to lawyers' negotiating damages (profits) 
with each other. The people should directly determine the outcome 
of GM crop issues. 

Current land owner concerns regarding GM foods are typical, 
because land owners fear that GM crops will spread to lands that 
they were not intended for. There is nothing stopping cross-
pollination, so land owned by an anti-GM crops owner can be 
affected by pro-GM crops owners. 

To the pro- and anti-GM crops capitalists, and the capitalist 
propagandists concerned with the environment generally, MIM says, 
"duh." There is no good way to solve this problem within 
capitalism, because the environment is one whole, as 
inconveniences such as pollination prove. Pollination cannot be 
parceled out like lots of property; yet the humyn species relies 
on pollination completely for survival. 

As such the GM crops struggle amongst land owners and property 
conflicts generally the last few hundred years show how far the 
species has deviated from what is naturally sensible. The 
property-less have no interest in such conflict or in guiding 
production by profit-first goals. The property-less have no 
interest in damaging their own environments or the environments of 
others. That is why we call for dictatorship of the proletariat. 
Environmental issues will not be negotiated with the capitalists. 
Only those with bourgeois priorities see it that way. 

Within capitalism, the logic is toward putting each lot of land in 
a bubbled dome, the way fences are used to keep out intruders. 
Pollen and air pollution from a neighbor's lot of private property 
would be sealed off by a dome. That is the environmental logic of 
capitalism--rather infeasible and laughable. 

Profit-system corruption of science

As with anything concerning the environment, the profit-system 
also corrodes the practice of science. Although Prince Charles of 
England opposes GM crops, Prime Minister Tony Blair supports them 
and at his right hand is the money of Northern Foods (and similar 
companies) and the power of its chair, Lord Haskins. 

More importantly, the masses of England do not trust scientists. 
Burned by the "mad cow" disease created by profit-hungry 
manufacturers and their regulatory stooges in the government, 40% 
of English people polled in the second week of June said they do 
not trust scientists. 56% think GM crops are unsafe to eat. MIM 
does not blame the masses for this attitude: the scientists are 
paid by profit-making corporations. They do not generally work for 
the public good. Under socialism, science will not be for profit. 
Nor will we tolerate substandard education and religion that holds 
back the scientific capabilities of the people. 

MIM believes there is a profound class issue in science as it is 
practiced now. The infection of the practice of science by 
capitalism has turned most of what masquerades as science into 
pseudo-science. 

The people should be able to obtain accurate scientific 
information unclouded by the class motives of the capitalist 
system. The most profound struggle in history on this point thus 
far has been the Chinese Cultural Revolution (1966-76). 

Note: Financial Times 10June99, p. 11.