The neoliberal food regime in Latin America: state, agribusiness transnational corporations and biotechnology

Abstract Biotechnology has become the central technological form in agriculture since the neoliberal reformation of capitalism in the 1980s. The food-regime perspective introduced by Friedmann and McMichael (1989) anticipated a transition to a third regime from the second, nation-centered regime of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Revue canadienne d'études du développement 2012-09, Vol.33 (3), p.282-294
Main Author: Otero, Gerardo
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agrarian policy
agribusiness transnational corporations
Agricultural production
Agriculture
Agrofood industry
Biotechnology
Capitalism
Food
food regime analysis
Latin America
Multinational enterprises
Neoliberalism
neoregulation
Regulation
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Summary:Abstract Biotechnology has become the central technological form in agriculture since the neoliberal reformation of capitalism in the 1980s. The food-regime perspective introduced by Friedmann and McMichael (1989) anticipated a transition to a third regime from the second, nation-centered regime of the post-World War II years. This paper proposes and develops the concept of 'neoliberal' food regime which captures the regime's central dynamic components: the state, which promotes international and national neoregulation that impose the neoliberal agenda; large agribusiness transnational corporations (ATNCs), now the crucial economic actors in global capitalism; and biotechnology, the driver behind the modern agricultural paradigm. Résumé La biotechnologie est devenue la forme centrale de technologie dans l'agriculture depuis la réforme néolibérale du capitalisme pendant les années 1980. Le système agroalimentaire introduit par Friedmann et McMichael (1989) a anticipé l'avènement d'un troisième régime, dépassant celui centré sur l'État-nation durant les années d'après-guerre. Cet article propose et développe le concept d'un système agroalimentaire et ses composants essentiels et dynamiques: l'État, qui promeut la néorégulation nationale et internationale et qui impose l'agenda néolibéral; les grandes corporations agroalimentaires, les acteurs économiques clés dans le capitalisme global; et la biotechnologique, la force derrière le paradigme agriculturel moderne.
ISSN:0225-5189
2158-9100
DOI:10.1080/02255189.2012.711747