The Impact of Globalization on Food Crises and Endemic Hunger

Abstract

Globalization has brought about many benefits, from a rise in technological constructs to make life easier and more convenient to a degree of interconnectedness never experienced to this extent among human civilization at any other point in history. Yet, globalization and the commodification of numerous areas of society for the purpose of feeding the capitalist machine have also brought about more social, financial, environmental and cultural crises as well. With the onset of a global pandemic, the numbers of people struggling with hunger have increased significantly. Food crises and endemic hunger have persisted despite unprecedented economic growth in many areas of the world. The impact of globalization on hunger is not exemplified in food scarcity, but rather, is the product of globalized racial capitalism, political policies and the process of cheapening food.