In the US, we hate socialism for everyone else, but love it for ourselves. I've talked to many pro-Trump, MAGA folks who ranted about 'welfare queens', yet they're collecting SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance - aka, money from the government). "That's different!"
I find the farmers to be the funniest. Like without their stimmy cheques and subsidies they'll all be homeless. For some reason not many farmers call this socialism.
USDA Survey Shows Most U.S. Farmland Is Owned by Older, Non-Operating Landlords - <a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49815913">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49815913 - September 2026
- Approximately 2.1 million landlords rented out 348 million acres of farmland.
- 87% of landlords did not farm the land themselves.
- Rental income, farmland values, and debt levels have all increased over the past decade, with rented land and buildings now valued at $1.7 trillion.
- The average principal landlord is 69 years old, and landlords age 75 and older control about 40% of rented acres and rental income.
- Most non-operating landlords acquired their land through inheritance or trusts.
- Operating landlords primarily purchased their farmland.
- Financially, landlords received $34.1 billion in rental income while carrying $50.7 billion in debt.
Federal farm subsidies: What the data says - <a href="https://usafacts.org/articles/federal-farm-subsidies-what-data-says/" rel="nofollow">https://usafacts.org/articles/federal-farm-subsidies-what-da... - June 23rd, 2025
- Farm subsidies have added an average of $17.6 billion to farm income each year from 1933 to 2024, adjusted for inflation.
We take taxes from the top 40% of Americans, and funnel it to farm landlords to harvest corn to burn in cars as ethanol, broadly speaking.
mig39 · · focus · HN ↗
jimt1234 · · focus · HN ↗
karakoram · · focus · HN ↗
toomuchtodo · · focus · HN ↗
- Approximately 2.1 million landlords rented out 348 million acres of farmland.
- 87% of landlords did not farm the land themselves.
- Rental income, farmland values, and debt levels have all increased over the past decade, with rented land and buildings now valued at $1.7 trillion.
- The average principal landlord is 69 years old, and landlords age 75 and older control about 40% of rented acres and rental income.
- Most non-operating landlords acquired their land through inheritance or trusts.
- Operating landlords primarily purchased their farmland.
- Financially, landlords received $34.1 billion in rental income while carrying $50.7 billion in debt.
Federal farm subsidies: What the data says - <a href="https://usafacts.org/articles/federal-farm-subsidies-what-data-says/" rel="nofollow">https://usafacts.org/articles/federal-farm-subsidies-what-da... - June 23rd, 2025
- Farm subsidies have added an average of $17.6 billion to farm income each year from 1933 to 2024, adjusted for inflation.
We take taxes from the top 40% of Americans, and funnel it to farm landlords to harvest corn to burn in cars as ethanol, broadly speaking.
theraaca · · focus · HN ↗
<a href="https://www.history.com/articles/feudalism" rel="nofollow">https://www.history.com/articles/feudalism
Feudalism was a medieval system in which land was exchanged for loyalty and military service between lords and peasants.
I guess the more things change the more they stay the same...