Solvable Problems: Science & Technology in Henry A. Wallace's Agricultural Reforms

可解决的问题：科学

• 批准号: 8920581
• 负责人: Deborah Fitzgerald
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 1990
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1990-08-01 至 1992-01-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=8920581&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Solvable; Problems; Science; & Technology

Between 1920 and 1948, American agricultural research and practice was revolutionized through the creation and use of new scientific and technological innovations. While some historians have studied particular innovations, no one has yet considered the nature of this change, or located it within the agricultural-scientific elite of the state and federal agricultural system. Further, no one has considered the paradoxical situation in which these innovations, which generally increased crop and livestock yields, were developed and promoted at a time when overproduction of commodities was generating a serious economic crisis for farmers. In this project, Dr. Fitzgerald is investigating these issues by considering the role of Henry A. Wallace in his capacities as editor of Wallaces' Farmer, president of Pioneer Hybrids, and Secretary of Agriculture. As arguably the most influential farm leader of this period, and one who held a progressivist faith in science and technology, Wallace was a pivotal figure in the attempted resolution of scientific abundance with farm parity. Dr. Fitzgerald argues that Wallace redefined farm problems in ways that rendered them "solvable" with scientific and technical expertise. That the farm problems remained nonetheless reflects not Wallace's naivete, but rather the inability of science and technology of the period to solve what were fundamentally social and economic ills. In order to carry out this research project, Dr. Fitzgerald will examine, among other things, the 165 microfilm reels of Wallace correspondence, published primary and secondary agricultural literature including farm papers such as Wallaces' Farmer and Prairie Farmers, trade publications, and government documents and administrative records of the USDA and its Bureaus.

1920年至1948年间，美国农业研究和实践 是通过创造和使用新的科学技术而革命性的， 和技术创新。 虽然一些历史学家研究过 特别是创新，还没有人考虑的性质， 这一变化，或将其定位于农业科学精英， 州和联邦农业系统的一部分。 此外，没有人 考虑到这些创新的自相矛盾的情况， 普遍提高作物和牲畜产量， 在商品生产过剩的时候， 给农民带来严重的经济危机。 在这个项目中，菲茨杰拉德博士正在调查这些问题， 考虑到亨利A.华莱士以他的身份 华莱士农场主的编辑，先锋混合动力公司的总裁， 农业部长 可以说是最有影响力的农场 这一时期的领导人，一个谁举行了进步主义的信仰， 在科学和技术领域，华莱士是一个关键人物， 试图解决科学丰富与农业平等的问题。 博士 菲茨杰拉德认为，华莱士重新定义了农业问题的方式， 用科学和技术专业知识使它们"可解决"。 尽管如此，农业问题仍然存在， 天真，而是科技的无能， 这是一个从根本上解决社会和经济问题的时期。 为了开展这项研究项目，菲茨杰拉德博士将 研究华莱士的165卷缩微胶片， 通讯，出版初级和中级农业 文学，包括农业论文，如华莱士的农民， 草原农民，贸易出版物和政府文件， 美国农业部及其办公室的行政记录。