[Eric in the Ozarks]

My dad was an old China hand in the Far East (1930's-1961) and related the following story.
One of Mao's associates had visited a newly collectivized farm in the mid 1950's and noticed birds were eating some the the spilled grain. His "solution" to this waste was to put out an edict calling for the distruction of all birds, including sparrows, blackbirds, crows, etc.
He did not understand that the birds also ate grain eating bugs. With the birds destroyed and no pesticides available, the outcome was predictable and more Chinese starved.

[concerned about politics]

collectivized farm

Great post. Liberal logic.