Response to Food Justice and the Challenge to Neoliberalism by Alison Alkon (post from feb 7th)

 As explained by Alison Alkon, neoliberalism can be described as the general idea of less government interference within markets and food sovereignty. Simply put, food sovereignty can be described as the power of communities to pick and choose how they produce and distribute their food. This can be an empowering feeling to those who have been under government hands when it comes to the food they end up putting on their table. 

The idea of neoliberalism was put into place after society became under the impression that government interference with food markets, rather than the idea of free markets, created more food waste, as well as being an inefficient way to run the economy. What they failed to account for while pumping out the neoliberalism view on society, would be poverty, and other forms of social injustice that hinders one's' right to an equal playing field for food. 

While at first glance, the idea of neoliberalism and what it consists of sounded like a good idea, and something that would make it easier for people of all social classes and backgrounds to access proper food security, the more I read Alkon's article and read up on the term, I have since changed my mind. Part of the neoliberal view on food security often reaches the conclusion that if one cannot provide food for themselves without the help of government assisted programs and self-reign in a free market, it is "due to their own failings in life", which I cannot agree with. 

I would have to say that the idea of neoliberalism is convincing at first, but when realizing that this concept fails to take into account generational poverty or systemic racism being the reason for food insecurity and needing an extra boost from government programs, I will say neoliberalism is hard to get behind.