The Conversation Of American Food Security

As food security becomes more top-of-mind across the globe, different views have been brought forth and conversations are taking place. One of the lenses we can take and apply to the conversation of American food security is a realist theory lens. Realism is one international relations theory that believes in the state as the primary importance at all times. States only ever work in ways the benefit them, mostly through creating power and national security. This strive to be the best of the best stems from Hobbesian theories about the cruel, bitterness of the world order. There is no way to rely on the aid or kindness of another state when you are weak, and in this way you must always be able to over power the competition. If you can not beat

To a realist thinker, all nation-states make decisions on their own national interest, meaning that other states needs and desires will not necessarily reflect in their own. States will act rationally in the pursuit of their own interests, but will fight for more and more power at what ever means necessary. This means that some states have the potential to work together and create lasting relationships, so long as it is beneficial to them. If there is a relative gain to be made from trading food with other states, for example exporting grain products in exchange for produce, then it would stand to reason that states would willing participate in trade. It is, however, when food is limited and the economy is in peril, states will withdraw and conserve what they have (Walton, 2012). Each state would not have an immediate desire to share their food resources through trade with states that have greater food insecurity, in the event that it would take away from their own sustainability. The state can sell their conservatism as in the best interest of their people, morally deeming it is too risky to by supplying other nations with important food sources, in the event their resources are striped. The realist theory can be applied to more than just food production and food resources. As Agnes Bridge Walton points out in her essay on food security, “Food security is important to a state, its strength and its economic power, because a healthy population is a productive population” (2012). While portraying their interest in the cause as for the good of their people, there is an anterior motive. It is not just about the people that need basic access to food, but the tolls their national economy can take without it. The equation is rather