Peasants on the Edge: Crop, Cult, and Crisis in the Andes

by William P. Mitchell

"When Mitchell first began his field studies in Quinua in 1966, farming was still the Quinuenos' principle means of livelihood. But while the population was increasing rapidly, the amount of arable land in the community remained the same, creating increased food shortfalls. At the same time, government controls on food prices and subsidies of cheap food imports drove down the value of rural farm production. . .Using a materialist approach, Mitchell charts the new economic strategies that Quinuenos use to confront the harsh pressures of their lives. . .The twenty-year span of this study makes it especially valuable for students of social change. Mitchell's unique, interdisciplinary approach, considering ecological, economic, and population factors simultaneously, offers a model that can be widely applied in many Third World areas.

264 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1991