Grounds for Agreement: The Political Economy of the Coffee Commodity Chain
John Talbot's account of the relations of the world coffee industry is a model of analytical lucidity. While the story line concerns coffee, it is also an important study of the politics and ecology of the world market, revealing its contending institutional forces, cycles of regulation, and the social implications of its crises for the producing regions. Most intriguing is the way Talbot explores struggles over control of the coffee chain to chart the rise of specialty coffees, extending to organic and fair-trade coffees, as solutions to contention and crisis. More than commodity chain analysis, this is an in-depth examination of the social and power relations of the global circuits of coffee. (Philip McMichael)Talbot's study is a gripping tale of how transnational corporations exploit the labor of farmers in the tropics. His historically deep analysis supports the claims of the movement for globalization from below?-that democratic global institutions are needed to reduce poverty and environmental degradation. (Chase-Dunn, Christopher)This is a valuable addition to the literature on coffee and an interesting case study of an important commodity. Highly recommended. (Choice)John M. Talbot accomplishes an exceptional feat in his new book. This work should serve as a model for other critical studies of the dynamics of actually existing global capitalism. (Labor History)This rigorous, insightful analysis of one of the most critical aspects of the global economy could not be more timely. In a world where the economic fate of most poor countries depends increasingly on commodity exports, understanding how markets and institutions shape the economic opportunities and potential benefits embodied in such exports is essential. Talbot's rich, careful analysis of the world's most important agricultural export should be required reading for anyone who wants to understand globalization. (Peter Evans)