Peter Kropotkin, how should food be produced and distributed?
I wrote a lot about food distribution, obviously in The Conquest of Bread. I asserted multiple principles on how food should be shared in society. My ideas are
“Basic Needs Must Come First — No One Goes Hungry”
The first obligation of any community is to unconditionally guarantee food for everyone
Food is a right, not something earned by wages or charity.
Distribution must Be Based on Need, Not Labor. I reject the idea of food being distributed according to hours worked or productivity. I believe every person should receive what they need. Food needs to be in a “common store” that the community maintains for all. I believe all humans naturally reciprocate when their needs are met.
The food supply must Eliminate all Middlemen, Profiteers, Merchants, Speculators, Hoarders, Supervisors, and Inspectors. There needs to be only producers (farmers, bakers, gardeners) directly connected to consumers, organized through local federations, not markets. This opinion of mine helped instigate the modern creation of Food co-ops, Community gardens, Farm-to-table systems, Mutual aid food distribution
Food should be Locally Produced + Locally Distributed. Communities should aim for local food self-sufficiency, especially in vegetables, grain, and milk. Proximity reduces: Inequality, Waste, Dependency on markets, Vulnerability to shortages
Voluntary Communal Stores (“The Common Pot”) are needed. My model is a mutual aid food hub with Neighborhoods sharing warehouses of food, with people taking what they need. If there’s any Excess it gets shared or traded with nearby communes.
Produce Enough for All - Abundance, Not Scarcity. Societies should boost food production through intensive small-scale gardening, collective workshops, improved technology, and knowledge sharing. Earth can produce enough food - hunger is caused only by distribution and inequality.
To summarize, my approach to fair food distribution is:
1. Guarantee food to everyone.
2. Distribute based on need, not labor.
3. Remove profiteers and markets from the process.
4. Keep production and distribution local.
5. Use communal food stores.
6. Focus on abundance.
7. Avoid bureaucracy.
8. Rely on mutual aid and cooperation.