Cat Lover
12-11-2009, 03:02 PM
I'd like to take a 'nuts and bolts' look at some of the basic choices we must make, and the different theories behind them.
First off, this is the real world, where you never are able to do everything in the 'ideal' order. That's a task even invading armies, with their endless resources, have trouble mastering.
I suppose the first balance you must strike is that of 'support' vs. 'productive' effort. In army terms, this is the old 'tooth' vs. 'tail' argument.
In our world, that means you need to generate income to develop the production - and you need the production to get the income flowing. It's a great paradox.
Most places I look at fall short on the 'support' side of the operation, and this restricts their ability to produce. That is, when something needs to be made, repaired, or maintained, they lack the facilities to do so. Look at farming accidents; a very large share happen when attempts are made to fix things.
Of course, mechanical things are but the tip of the investment; behind every machine is the fuel to run it and the parts to keep it running. All of this, in turn, needs to be stored, handled, and maintained itself.
This points us toward what some call the 'economics of scale.' That is, a machine can harvest ten acres as easily as one ... if they're the same farm. Change what you're growing, and you're back to square one. This discourages 'self-reliance' and encourages us to interact with our neighbors: I grow the wheat, you grow the corn.
I believe that if you're to have the smallest chance of things working out, you need to choreograph this dance in every step, in advance .... then pray nothing goes wrong. The slightest waste or error will cost you big- not so much in money as in lost time and opportunity.
I think that groups like the Amish (in a rural setting) and certain immigrant groups (in an urban setting) have succeeded because they have figured this out. They have a proven 'recipe' that, if followed, steers them right ... and they have the community that allows them to pull each other up together. Call it planning and teamwork.
First off, this is the real world, where you never are able to do everything in the 'ideal' order. That's a task even invading armies, with their endless resources, have trouble mastering.
I suppose the first balance you must strike is that of 'support' vs. 'productive' effort. In army terms, this is the old 'tooth' vs. 'tail' argument.
In our world, that means you need to generate income to develop the production - and you need the production to get the income flowing. It's a great paradox.
Most places I look at fall short on the 'support' side of the operation, and this restricts their ability to produce. That is, when something needs to be made, repaired, or maintained, they lack the facilities to do so. Look at farming accidents; a very large share happen when attempts are made to fix things.
Of course, mechanical things are but the tip of the investment; behind every machine is the fuel to run it and the parts to keep it running. All of this, in turn, needs to be stored, handled, and maintained itself.
This points us toward what some call the 'economics of scale.' That is, a machine can harvest ten acres as easily as one ... if they're the same farm. Change what you're growing, and you're back to square one. This discourages 'self-reliance' and encourages us to interact with our neighbors: I grow the wheat, you grow the corn.
I believe that if you're to have the smallest chance of things working out, you need to choreograph this dance in every step, in advance .... then pray nothing goes wrong. The slightest waste or error will cost you big- not so much in money as in lost time and opportunity.
I think that groups like the Amish (in a rural setting) and certain immigrant groups (in an urban setting) have succeeded because they have figured this out. They have a proven 'recipe' that, if followed, steers them right ... and they have the community that allows them to pull each other up together. Call it planning and teamwork.