Meat Packers Rape You – And You Love It

In a fantastic tirade, Murray Rothbard launches a series of thermo-nuclear warheads at the fraudulent socialist myth of government inspection protecting the masses. In the following presentation, starting at time 46:00, Rothbard targets the meat packing hysteria of the early 1900s when Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle was released.

You can listen to Rothbard personally press the launch codes at time 46:00 here:

mises.org...

The great statist myth goes as follows:

In 1906, Upton Sinclair released his classic muckraking novel The Jungle. It exposed conditions in the U.S. meat packing industry, causing a public uproar that contributed in part to the passage a few months later of the 1906 Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act. According to Sinclair’s novel, the packing industry was run in an utter condition of squalor, where packers frequently sold rancid and diseased meat to the public in order to cut costs.

Those of you who were educated in public schools are probably familiar with this myth, since this is what you were told was the truth by your statist teachers. Many of you may have even been forced to choke down the lies Sinclair spewed forth in this novel by having it included in your education as mandatory reading.

A note on Sinclair himself, he was a dedicated socialist who actually ran for Congress on the Socialist Party ticket. The guy was a complete mental case. I’m sure that wasn’t mentioned though in your statist history classes, where he is typically presented as a simple man who only wanted the best for Amerika.

Rothbard smashes the vast horde of liars with the unrelenting truth: The Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act were HEAVILY lobbied for by the large meat packing producers over the course of several decades. There was very little diseased meat being processed, and Sinclair’s novel is nothing but a bunch of total baloney. The mega meat packing corporations took advantage of the hype Sinclair had created with his novel of lies and finally rammed through a bill they had been trying to pass for decades.

The large meat packing corporations wanted this regulation for several reasons.

1. Government inspections added a large fixed operating cost to producers due to the administrative overhead. While this may sound counter-intuitive, this effectively serves as a large barrier to entry into the meat packing business. The smaller packers do not have the economy of scale to be able to absorb this fixed cost so they end up being run out of business by the large producers because the small guys necessarily need to raise the price of their meat higher to account for the additional cost.

2. The Europeans at the time had begun barring meat imports to protect their own meat producers profits under the guise of “diseased meat” being imported. So the Europeans were requiring that imported meats undergo an inspection process. Thus, the US meat packers had to have their meat inspected anyways by private inspectors if they wanted to be able to export their meat. By lobbying the US government to inspect their meat, the large US meat packers could pass the cost of this inspection process, that had to happen anyways, on to US tax payers. This served to socialize inspection costs for the large US meat exporters.

Since the smaller producers did not generally engage in export, they didn’t bother to have their meat inspected – thus, the smaller producers were able to compete with large producers in local markets. By forcing all meat packers to undergo inspection, the government basically ran the small meat packing operations out of business.

3. The inspection seal effectively serves as a fantastic marketing gimmick. It provides a false sense of security to US consumers and legitimizes the meat processed as being approved by the US government.

Jonathan Ogden Armour, President of Armour and Company, one of the largest meat packing corporations in America, wrote the following in a March 1906 Saturday Evening Post article:

“To attempt to evade government inspection with beef from a purely commercial viewpoint is suicidal. No packer can do an interstate or export business without government inspection. Self-interest forces him to make use of it. Self-interest likewise demands he shall not receive meats or byproducts from any small packer either for export or other use unless that small packer is also official (under government inspection.) This government inspection thus becomes an important adjunct of the packers business from two view points. It puts the stamp of legitimacy and honesty the packers product, and so is to him a necessity, and to the public as an assurance against diseased meats.”

A 1906 report by the Bureau of Animal Industry refuted Sinclair’s severest allegations, characterizing them as “intentionally misleading and false,” “willful and deliberate misrepresentations of fact,” and “utter absurdity.”

Of course, the Amerikan publik to this day still sees government inspection of food as a necessity, without which we would devolve into a state of total anarchy where farmers would be free to sell apples laced with cyanide and three year old horse meat packaged as Angus T-Bones.

Wake up socialists.

Government can’t keep you safe from anything and is ALWAYS used by big business as a tool to suppress competition, enact monopoly privileges, and otherwise loot the public to no end.

It should be blatantly obvious to anyone with half a brain that as government has grown, so has the wealth disparity. There is a clear reason for this. Government creates the wealth disparity by granting monopoly privileges to corporations through contracts and patents, by subsidizing industry and bailing them out, and by enacting regulations which serve as barriers to entry.

I think the funniest thing is how we grade our meat today. What a total lie. Most "Prime" meat isn't even prime; it's usually choice. Like wise and so forth heading down.

Also, did you know ALL pork sold in this country is literally blasted with radiation to kill bacteria?

The Jungle was a melodramatic tract novel, however the main thrust of the story seemed to me to be more about the exploitation of the workers in the industry than the need for regulation of the product. If it caused an uproar over child labor-that was a good thing. Industrialists are opportunistic by nature. I'm not surprised that they took advantage.

I'd say be a vegetarian, but then there's GMO Monsanto infecting everything.

Originally posted by Pilot
The Jungle was a melodramatic tract novel, however the main thrust of the story seemed to me to be more about the exploitation of the workers in the industry than the need for regulation of the product. If it caused an uproar over child labor-that was a good thing. Industrialists are opportunistic by nature. I'm not surprised that they took advantage.

I'd say be a vegetarian, but then there's GMO Monsanto infecting everything.

Yeah child labor is another piece of statist agitation.

The trade unions wanted it banned because it the kids would obviously out-compete them in terms of cost and productive labor.

When young children went to work in factories, it was certainly not because the parents chose to put them there, they were there out of necessity. Just as we see on farms operated in impoverished places like Africa, children are put to work because the alternative is they starve.

Child labor laws are totally unnecessary in a modern economy because the state of wealth allows parents to send their kids to school rather than having them work to provide for the family.

Further, child labor laws are totally unnecessary in a modern economy because employers don't want the liability little kids bring to the work place.

I would also like to add that a 13 or 14 year old is perfectly capable of adult labor if given the proper training. The current labor laws prohibit these kids from getting part time work, which is a travesty for society. Working part time at an early age allows kids to get a solid work ethic as well as giving them some spending cash.

Originally posted by mnemeth1


I would also like to add that a 13 or 14 year old is perfectly capable of adult labor if given the proper training. The current labor laws prohibit these kids from getting part time work, which is a travesty for society. Working part time at an early age allows kids to get a solid work ethic as well as giving them some spending cash.

Seriously. Now I don't live in the country or rural areas or anything; I live in the Connecticut river valley. But we still have several tobacco farms in the state, several right around my town. And 15 year olds can legally work there. I did it. It isn't bad. A lil' hot and tedious but it was the only way I could make money then. And I've worked under the table since I was 14, from anything from landscaping to dish washing.

I didn't work much. Never more than 20 hours a week. But it gave me some spending money, which I needed for extracurricular stuff at school anyways.

Things like corporal punishment is one thing, but today's parents really do baby there kids too much. Thank god I had smart parents who gave me breathing room to figure things out on my own.

And completely off topic, but seriously; kids ain't dumb. Society makes us act dumb because legally, we can't do anything else. But kids, in nature, aren't stupid. Little kids know when there's something bad going on. Older kids can start using critical thinking skills to solve problems, as well as fix simple machines. While the specific thing you're doing may not help you later on, it gives you skills that are more abstract; understanding how to use your mind to solve problems in different ways and such.

Now a days, kids can't go near machines. They can't learn to shape wood or fix cars. They can't learn to fix computers and learn how they work. They can't work a simple job that someone with mental retardation can do (not attacking the mentally disabled but it's true). They're sent to indoctrination camps we call schools day in and day out, not learning an ounce of useful knowledge, taught how to obey authority figures, and do busy work. Parents freak about anything regardless of how harmless they really are, from video games to pot to sex.

Seriously, kids are suffocated now a days that they aren't given an inch to live and breath on their own volition. And when the time comes, they're thrust into a world and have no idea what the # they are doing.

And why do I know this? I just went through it. Again, thankfully I had parents who didn't care about laws that much and would rather raise a kid properly. And for christ sakes, my parents were divorced.

The thing you are ignoring is the fact that some industry was very brutal, why do you think people organized in the first place??? It seems the course of history does not fully support your blind love for anything that turns a buck.

Maybe if you and Rothy read a little better you would notice that Sinclair makes it very clear that the government official who stamped the carcasses would often ignore diseased meat or be "busy" doing other things. Sinclair also highlighted the tyrannical role union hierarchy could inflict on individuals thru characters who abused their power. He also made a strong indictment upon industrialization and greed which is the part the two of you choose to cherry pick and categorically defend in order to sell your "freedom". I have heard the stories of Blue Milk first hand as well as factory life in the 20's... Lets be very clear, if you were injured, you were also without a job or means to survive if the injury was severe enough, simple... Both my grandparents worked a line at very young ages, met in a fish packing plant in San Jose in fact.

You and Rothy fail to recognize that the novel was so successful because it challenged the status quo which needed challenging at the time. The current Status Quo needs questioning, but I doubt revisiting and defending
this period in Industry is intelligent.

reply to post by Janky Red


I thought I had just cleared up those lies for you.

You can feel free to stop believing them any time you like.

Janky, that is all well and good, but next time when you don't listen to the clip given, try not to make it so obvious that you didn't listen by going into detail. Use vague terms next time. Else you'll fail to convince anyone that your response deserves much attention considering it's a post made from ignorance.

Originally posted by SpectreDC
Janky, that is all well and good, but next time when you don't listen to the clip given, try not to make it so obvious that you didn't listen by going into detail. Use vague terms next time. Else you'll fail to convince anyone that your response deserves much attention considering it's a post made from ignorance.

If you want to listen to the full lecture series this particular clip comes from, look here:

fascistsoup.com...

Originally posted by SpectreDC
Janky, that is all well and good, but next time when you don't listen to the clip given, try not to make it so obvious that you didn't listen by going into detail. Use vague terms next time. Else you'll fail to convince anyone that your response deserves much attention considering it's a post made from ignorance.

I was going off what OP wrote - thanks!

I think he did a very good job of parroting Rothy word for word -

Just like Rothy, OP chose to examine only two aspects of the novel, what did you think of the novel?

Just like OP Rothy - bubbles forth and dismisses everything based open what???

Originally posted by Janky Red
I was going off what OP wrote - thanks!

I think he did a very good job of parroting Rothy word for word -

Just like Rothy, OP chose to examine only one aspect of the novel, what did you think of the novel?

I'm not examining the novel.

I'm examining the fallout from the novel.

I have no problem with Sinclair writing a novel full of lies.

I have a big problem with government and big business taking that novel and creating coercive legislation based on the hype created by it.

Originally posted by SpectreDC
I think the funniest thing is how we grade our meat today. What a total lie. Most "Prime" meat isn't even prime; it's usually choice. Like wise and so forth heading down.

Also, did you know ALL pork sold in this country is literally blasted with radiation to kill bacteria?

trichinosis. that is what they are trying to kill.

that is why they say it is eradicated in our food supply. "food supply" means you have the USDA stamp on your meat.

And don't let health inspectors find non-usda stamped meat in a restaurant. you are made to either destroy it in front of them, or surrender it. know someone who had a bbq place with a freezer in the far back that wasn't used. so they turned it on and stored family deer meat in it. cost them a hefty fine, and all their venison.

Originally posted by bigfatfurrytexan

trichinosis. that is what they are trying to kill.

that is why they say it is eradicated in our food supply. "food supply" means you have the USDA stamp on your meat.

And don't let health inspectors find non-usda stamped meat in a restaurant. you are made to either destroy it in front of them, or surrender it. know someone who had a bbq place with a freezer in the far back that wasn't used. so they turned it on and stored family deer meat in it. cost them a hefty fine, and all their venison.

Good thing too.

Otherwise I might have been killed by fraudulent deer meat.

In fact, it probably wasn't deer meat, it was probably chopped up bits of aborted babies laced with AIDS.

Originally posted by mnemeth1

Originally posted by bigfatfurrytexan

trichinosis. that is what they are trying to kill.

that is why they say it is eradicated in our food supply. "food supply" means you have the USDA stamp on your meat.

And don't let health inspectors find non-usda stamped meat in a restaurant. you are made to either destroy it in front of them, or surrender it. know someone who had a bbq place with a freezer in the far back that wasn't used. so they turned it on and stored family deer meat in it. cost them a hefty fine, and all their venison.

Good thing too.

Otherwise I might have been killed by fraudulent deer meat.

In fact, it probably wasn't deer meat, it was probably chopped up bits of aborted babies laced with AIDS.

edit on 17-9-2010 by mnemeth1 because: (no reason given)

LOL, well...it wasn't on the menu. They just didn't have big, huge, walk in freezers at their house. when they bought the bbq place, they shut that freezer down when they brought in some inventory management tools. last November they just ended up with a lot of deer, and wanted to store it.

sucks to be them.

Well, the statists better not come around my area in the fall.

We get together and OOOPS, we make our own meat products.

Wow, and no one DIES! I might die if I do not eat meat that has not been irradiated, drenched with chemicals, etc etc etc.

I cannot remember the chemicals they drenched them with, saw it on Discovery, but I would rather not eat meat drenched with chemicals in the mass slaughter house run today.

I actually miss slaughtering our own meat, quartering and then bringing it to our area's meat prep locations. You still find them in rural areas. Especially where there is still deer hunting seasons and the like.

Plus a few of us still get together in the fall and have smoking parties. We pool the meat, get some pork and spices, then prep all the meat and then smoke it.

I tell you, when you eat home prepped meats compared to what you get in the mega grocers, you can never eat another large meat processor's product without telling the difference.

You can never tell how much meat you are getting in those cold cuts you get. How much is meat, binders, lips, anus, hooves, mice, rats.

Clip from Monty Python, to get you in the mood.

Go to 2:30 to see the skit.

M: Aaw, you're always complainin'!
K: Wha's for afters?
M: Rat cake, rat sorbet, rat pudding, or strawberry tart.
K: (eyes lighting up) Strawberry tart?
M: Well, it's got *some* rat in it.
K: 'Ow much?
M: Three. A lot, really.
K: Well, I'll have a slice without so much rat in it.
voice over: One slice of strawberry tart without so much rat in it later:

reply to post by saltheart foamfollower


The statists only care if you try to sell that delicious homemade meat.

If you were to sell it, you might compete with some mega-corporations union workers... and that would be a tragedy.

Hence, all homemade products must be banned and anyone that tries to sell them should have their testis ripped off with a pair of pilers.

reply to post by mnemeth1


What they do not know, will not hurt them!

Gotta love "black" Markets.

So few responses to such a masterpiece of an article.

I am disappointed.

IT IS OK TO CHANGE YOUR BELIEF SYSTEMS

I WILL NOT MOCK YOU

Some day, I hope to come into this forum and find everyone believing that violence is wrong.

When that day comes, my work here is finished and I shall move on to spread the message of peace somewhere else.

reply to post by mnemeth1


You've got to be kidding me. You would voluntary support child labor?

Some of the stuff I read on here just makes me go "huh?" half the time and not in a good way. Did I stumble upon some Reagan utopia?

Originally posted by The Sword
reply to post by mnemeth1

 

You've got to be kidding me. You would voluntary support child labor?

Some of the stuff I read on here just makes me go "huh?" half the time and not in a good way. Did I stumble upon some Reagan utopia?

I would support businesses giving jobs to people who want them.