Rice, politics and power: the political economy of food insecurity in East Asia Paul Belesky Master of International Studies (International Relations) The University of Queensland A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy The University of Queensland, 2016 School of Political Science and International Studies School of Social Science Abstract This thesis has three main objectives: (1) to provide a critical political economy study of the complex interplay between rice, politics and power in East Asia; (2) to make a contribution to understanding the evolution of the regional and global food system through an historically-contextualised exploration of the political economy of rice in the East Asian region; and (3) to make a contribution towards an alternative analytical framework for the political economy of food insecurity in the region. This study focuses on the agricultural commodity of rice as a prism through which to examine and explore the complex and multidimensional nature of food insecurity in the region, with rice providing a lens through which to explore social relations and relations of power that underpin the political economy of food and agriculture. This study has identified a gap in literature in relation to a contemporary analysis of the political economy of rice, with a second gap appearing in relation to the evolution of the global food system from an East Asian perspective. This thesis aims to make a contribution towards addressing these gaps in literature. With these objectives in mind, this thesis responds to the following research questions and sub-questions: (1) What are the socio-political and economic characteristics of the commodity complex of rice in the East Asian region? What role does the political economy of rice play in regional food insecurity? (2) What does the political economy of rice in the East Asian region reveal about the characteristics of the contemporary global food system? To what extent do the socio-political and economic characteristics of the commodity complex of rice in the East Asian region contradict or reaffirm a ‘neoliberal corporate food regime’? (3) What does the political economy of rice in the East Asian region reveal about the Global Food Crisis of 2007–08? (4) What are the regional governance structures and institutions for the commodity complex of rice? How effective are these regional structures and institutions of governance, such as regional rice reserves, in addressing food insecurity? To investigate these questions, this thesis adopts an interdisciplinary theoretical framework. This approach draws on the strengths of a variety of social and political science disciplines, including critical approaches to international political economy (IPE), rural sociology and agrarian political economy. The objective of this 2 collaborative interdisciplinary approach is to provide a more holistic exposition of the socio-political and economic dimensions of the commodity complex of rice and food insecurity in East Asia. The thesis argues four main points. Firstly, due to the cultural, socio-political, and economic importance of rice in East Asia, few governments in the region have allowed the domestic rice sector to be influenced wholly by global market supply and demand forces. Rather, governments in the region routinely intervene in rice markets in an attempt to reconcile the paradoxical objectives of providing low rice prices for consumers and remunerative incentives to support the lives and livelihoods of farmers. Secondly, state-centric approaches to food security after the Global Food Crisis of 2007–08 have spatially and temporally reproduced food insecurities, moving these insecurities around geographically within the region. Thirdly, much of the critical agri- food literature to date has focused on the neoliberal characteristics of the corporate food regime. However, this literature has often overlooked the nuances in varieties of capitalism in East Asia, largely ignoring the rise of state capitalism and the emergence of neomercantilism. Finally, the East Asian rice complex is characterised by state-led capitalism and neomercantilism. The concept of a global ‘neoliberal/corporate food regime’ does not properly account for the agri-food sector in the East Asian region, nor does it capture the unique historical and cultural context of the region. Many states in the East Asian region, including China and Thailand, employ neomercantilist strategies in the rice sector. The thesis makes four contributions to knowledge. Firstly, by adopting an interdisciplinary theoretical framework, this research makes a contribution to a broad range of agri-food literature in the fields of critical IPE, rural sociology and agrarian political economy. Secondly, it brings new conceptual knowledge and empirical information from case studies about China and Thailand into existing literature on the regional and global agri-food system, and the political economy of rice in East Asia. Thirdly, case studies about the Global Food Crisis of 2007–08 and the role of regional rice reserves in the East Asian region bring new conceptual knowledge and empirical information into existing literature on these topics. Finally, the thesis provides new analysis in relation to food regime literature, and makes a contribution to understanding the commodity complex of rice in the agri-food system of East Asia. 3 Declaration by author This thesis is composed of my original work, and contains no material previously published or written by another person except where due reference has been made in the text. I have clearly stated the contribution by others to jointly-authored works that I have included in my thesis. I have clearly stated the contribution of others to my thesis as a whole, including statistical assistance, survey design, data analysis, significant technical procedures, professional editorial advice, and any other original research work used or reported in my thesis. The content of my thesis is the result of work I have carried out since the commencement of my research higher degree candidature and does not include a substantial part of work that has been submitted to qualify for the award of any other degree or diploma in any university or other tertiary institution. I have clearly stated which parts of my thesis, if any, have been submitted to qualify for another award. I acknowledge that an electronic copy of my thesis must be lodged with the University Library and, subject to the policy and procedures of The University of Queensland, the thesis be made available for research and study in accordance with the Copyright Act 1968 unless a period of embargo has been approved by the Dean of the Graduate School. I acknowledge that copyright of all material contained in my thesis resides with the copyright holder(s) of that material. Where appropriate I have obtained copyright permission from the copyright holder to reproduce material in this thesis. 4 Publications during candidature Refereed journal articles Belesky, Paul. 2014. ‘Regional Governance, Food Security and Rice Reserves in East Asia’. Journal of Global Food Security 3: 167–173. Conference papers Belesky, Paul. 2012. ‘The Political Economy of Food Insecurity in the Asia--‐Pacific Region’. Oceanic Conference on International Studies (OCIS V). The University of Sydney. Belesky, Paul. 2013. ‘The Dynamics of Governance and Food Reserves in East Asia: A Case Study of the ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve’. The First International Conference on Global Food Security. Netherlands. Belesky, Paul. 2014. ‘Regional Governance and Food Insecurity in East Asia’. Oceanic Conference on International Studies (OCIS VI). The University of Melbourne. Belesky, Paul. 2015. ‘Towards a New Political Economy of Food: State Capitalism and the Emergence of Neomercantilism in the Global Food System’. Warwick’s 50th Anniversary Conference: New Directions in International Political Economy. University of Warwick. Submissions Davies, Robin, Elliott, Lorraine and Belesky, Paul. 2014. G20 Development Working Group Food Security Review — Think 20 (T20) Submission. MacMahon, Amy, Smith, Kiah, Muller, Jane, Belesky, Paul, Lawrence, Geoffrey and Brady, Michelle. 2013. Submission to the Senate Committee on Recent Trends in the Preparedness for Extreme Weather Events. Submission no. 35. 5 Publications included in this thesis Belesky, Paul. 2014. ‘Regional Governance, Food Security and Rice Reserves in East Asia’. Journal of Global Food Security 3:167–173 — incorporated as part of Chapter 7. Belesky, Paul. 2015. ‘Towards a New Political Economy of Food: State Capitalism and the Emergence of Neomercantilism in the Global Food System’. Warwick’s 50th Anniversary Conference: New Directions in International Political Economy, University of Warwick — incorporated as part of Chapter 4. Contributor Statement of contribution Paul Belesky (Candidate) Wrote the papers (100%) Contributions by others to the thesis No contributions by others. Statement of parts of the thesis submitted to qualify for the award of another degree None. 6 Acknowledgements This thesis was financially supported by an Australian Postgraduate Award, a University of Queensland Advantage Top-up Scholarship and the Queensland Government’s Smart Futures PhD Scholarship. I appreciatively acknowledge the facilities, academic support and travel funding provided by the School of Political Science and International Studies and the School of Social Science. I wish to express my deeply felt gratitude and appreciation