Will The Economy Collapse If Everyone Starts Homesteading?

As to spending or not spending money of most went to homesteading. Unless your going to make your own tiller, youd have to buy one, and that takes factorys, which take people. I doubt if many would make their own hoes, rakes, schovels, and theyd be sold in extreme numbers. Somebody would have to make them. More mom and pop individual stores would reeopen as fewer and fewer people would want to go to WM where everybody knows that most cant get in and back out without haveing a 100 bill in their pockets. People would go to tsc cause they ad the part they needed, AND If they saw something they MIGHT need, they might buy that. Where at WM people buy things that they may never use. Those stores would tend to show up at almost all towns, makeing the closer to home. Theyed be more small tractors needed, with the equip to go with them That also takes factories and people.
As somebody said, If it happened, it would only redirect the monies spent. A thing they say is going to happen anyhow when we finally climb outta this hole.

I think it is very possible for our economy to collapse.....as a matter of fact I think it is in the process of that very thing. The way of life in this country was not sustainable. The loss of so many good paying jobs that will never return has hurried things along. Endless credit that was abused by so many made us look richer on the surface, but was a house of cards.

I have often wondered if it would be so bad if the US simply declared bankruptcy on the world. You know, don't repay the debts to other nations. Don't give foreign aid. Don't be the bully/protector of the world. I think if the US became protectionistic, took the property from foreigners and resold it only to citizens, it would be a good thing.
The dollar isn't worth anything anyway, so why not just protect the natural resources we have and use them to build ourselves?
Let's be Israel for a while. God gave us this land, let's respect that and keep it for ourselves instead of selling everything we own and have off to other nations.

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there will always be some type of Economy, (even if it is barter),
the economy will CHANGE, just like it has through the years,

the problem is that we all think we should be able to support massive amounts of things,
Many of the people in the 1940 only had a pickup truck for the only farm Vehicle, (it was sued for ever thing), currently on my place I have, (6 running and used trucks, from 2.5 ton down to a S10, not new but there there and run and are usable) and I think I am frugal, (well some peoples new pickups is worth more than all of mine ) when I was goring up there was one phone on the wall in the kitchen, now there are, 7 phones,
how many TVs, do may have, computers, cell phones are like candy,

I remember when buying some thing was a really thought out experience, wither it was a few dollars or thousands, and in to days existence, some times fancy coffee is more than what my dad would have payed for a tool set.

one thing is I think what some what keep a collapse from happening is that there is such mass Exodus of dollars over seas, that the governments printing of them has not caused massive inflation, look a the amounts of Chinese and other foreign goods, the fuel, crude oil,

if all that money was staying in the states the inflation would be like Zimbabwe's but since were dumping so much over seas, (it is a little like buying some of it with play moneys), yes it can come back and bit us,

but if Americans were making and building the goods we used I think we could live on a reduced economy, and be strong, the standard of living may not be as extravagant, (may be I would have to only have two wrench sets, instead of one in ever building and truck and tractor),

even tho you and I may think were poor, all one has to do is travel out side of the country and see how rich we are,

No I do not make the money I want to, or have all the things I want,
but I have a lot, a lot more than my father had, in many ways, (and look at how much people through out for trash, the amounts of food that is wasted, (garbage disposals are a disgrace), watch at a restraint how much food is not ate, go to a church pot luck and watch was is dumped and there was a choice to take and how much to take and it is still dumped.

a lot of what happens is wast and more wast,

The economy has already collapsed. The only thing that remains is the "Con Job" that says nothing is wrong.

It would cause a huge contraction of the economy sort of like would happen if we went back to the gold standard.

Although normally people start providing for themselves in reaction to the economy being worse and not the other way around.

When the inflation of the 70's was over a lot of back to the landers moved back to the city, people stopped using their wood stoves, gardening died back.

What a great idea for a post.

I think an equally good question could be:

"If the economy collapses, would people start homesteading?"

Personally I think regardless of what happens, if the economy truly collapses, many will be/start homesteading, and many will pass away due to their complete reliance on the economic infrastructure (i.e. meat comes from Styrofoam packages, right??). Very unfortunate and sad, but it's what I imagine will happen.

one of the problems is that much of the debt is to our selfs, a lot of the debt is to social security and even to individuals,

in the process we have spread and destroyed our own ability to produce in this country we would have a hard time, getting started again, with being able to bring our factories home, (there is not one manual operated machine lathe or mill is made in the USA, or that was the statement a few years ago, and would not surprise me any if the CNC stuff is not mostly made over seas as well), so if we declare bankruptcy, they will claim our foreign assets as well,

it would be a tough road back, and if you think a lot are out of work now you have not seen any thing yet,

We must have vastly different definitions of "collapsed." Can you still buy most of what you need? Is inflation under 25% per year? Is unemployment under 25%-50%? I'm not saying the economy is fine, but it definitely hasn't collapsed.

Who is saying "nothing is wrong?"

Michael

If everyone started homesteading it would be BECAUSE our economy collapsed, or some calamity would have forced the change - but many, many would perish since homesteading alone is rough alternative to our culture as it is now, thus...in time, cities, networks, technologies and economies would re-invent themselves, just as they evolved before.

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They call debt like the $2.6 trillion owed to SS & Medicare "internal debt." It's the first to go. In fact, it's not only been suggested, there are some in congress actively pushing for it. If you don't believe me, just watch this.

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I sometimes feel like the media is trying to guilt me into going out and spending money that I really don't need to be spending. I'd much rather put 40 dollars in savings than go to a restaurant for a sit down meal. So if you're wondering why the economy collapsed, it's my fault. I didn't eat at Applebee's. Sorry about that!

Somebody pointed out that credit has made huge house of cards. Yep. You want a sustainable economy on a finite world, credit has to go and population has to be held in check. You cant have infinite economic growth on a finite world or you run into same problem that bacteria grown in a petri dish encounter. Eventually they use up or despoil all their resources, and poof they die out. Deny it all you want, but thats what it comes down to.

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"What would you do with a brain if you had one?" -Dorothy

"Well, then ignore what I have to say and go with what works for you." -Eliot Coleman

I guess your own outlook may depend on where you live. here, (and I don't necessarily mean my own little rural community..more toward the burbs) nothing as changed. absolutely nothing. malls are crowded as usual, and as much as most here would love to think they are going gaga in debt....think again. a lot of people are still making big money. a LOT. most actually. some here love to drive thru the McMansions and think their lives are horrible. again..rethink that a bit. lol they are living well and quite happy around our city. quite happy. and spending big. and I'm glad for them doing so! every dollar they spend that they can afford is a good thing. also...when they spend in construction, my hub works. yep..I like it just fine. lol IF the economy truly collapsed (which I don't think it totally ever will. we small folk just feel the big pinch), then the homesteaders have the heads-up. but...much as most want to believe....homesteading is still such a minority thought. a good thought, but we're in a minority.

Homesteaders aren't going to cause the collapse of the economy. For one, there are too few. Two, even if homesteading catches on like wildfire and becomes a larger segment of the population, they don't stop buying things, they just buy different things. Like tools and supplies. And boots and work clothes. And fencing and seeds and so on. I read somewhere the hatcheries are having good times because of the popularity of backyard chickens. Homesteading doesn't collapse the consumer economy, just changes the type of goods consumed. The off-grid, everything scrounged and re-purposed, type of homesteader is such a minority out of the public at large, not even a blip on the radar.

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Laura Ingalls Wilder

I don't think there simply isn't enough land for everyone to become homesteaders in the first place.
Then I think most ppl are not willing to work as hard as you have to when you want to be as self reliant as can be. I don't have a homestead, I live in a small town, I do some canning and dehydrating, mostly things I can get for free from neighbours and some businesses in the neigbourhood. But the canning and dehydrating means working days until 3 in the morning and get back to it after a couple of hours sleep. Not a lot of ppl I know are willing to do that.
Another point is, of course you can have your homestead, it doesn't mean you don't buy anything anymore. You can try it but having all the knowledge is not likely to happen for a lot of ppl who are new to homesteading, so you will have to barter or swap things you do grow/make and get what you need in that manner.
Do you really see lots of ppl from the city wanting to work the long hours you have to make on a homestead? Can't see that happening...
Xant

I agree that a total collapse would create more homesteaders. I think right now we are more likely to see people who are retired or unemployed planting gardens and maybe having a few chickens. I doubt that too many families with two working parents would be able to do the self sufficient thing very well as we have not taught most of our children what they need to carry out the needed tasks without supervision.

When I was a child and someone told me to go tend to the garden or the chickens I knew exactly what that meant- this is not the case today.

I will be planing a small veggie garden here in the desert this spring but I am concerned that doing so will push my water bill up above my ability to pay. It is not easy to harvest rainwater when it only rains a few inches a year but I will catch what i can.

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www.MontanaSticksAndStones.com at Goshen Farm

Countries where the vast majority of the populace are "homesteaders" - in other words, attempt to seek out their own food, clothing and shelter - are called Third World countries.

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This is the government the Founding Fathers warned us about.....

It isn't about spending or not spending. It is about what you choose to spend. Whether you pay cash or barter it is still spending and economic activity. You won't likely produce everything you need. I can produce a lot of what we need, all of the basics for survival, however, I also enjoy having some luxuries such as chocolate, the internet, a camera, a computer, etc.

I am very good at producing all natural pastured pork and sustainably managed lumber. So that is what I primarily sell. I'm glad that there are people who are willing to buy what I have to sell. With that I pay my taxes and buy the things I can't produce or don't care to produce.

Don't worry, everyone won't start homesteading, everyone won't stop spending and the economy isn't going to collapse. What we just experienced was a correction. Sadly the big players who were "too big to fail" did not get properly corrected.

Cheers

-Walter
Sugar Mountain Farm
Pastured Pigs, Sheep & Kids
in the mountains of Vermont
Read about our on-farm butcher shop project:
http://SugarMtnFarm.com/butchershop
http://SugarMtnFarm.com/csa

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SugarMtnFarm.com -- Pastured Pigs, Poultry, Sheep, Dogs and Kids

The economy would still go on, just altered a little. Will coca-cola and the gap thrive and get rich and fat....I doubt it.

We can not live without trading and buying from each other. How would a homesteader make all his or her own energy? That is not possible, even if they used wood as their fuel. If you are suggesting solar panels, then it takes a whole lot of people to produce a solar panel and you would have to trade something for it.

Everyone in the world wouldn't homestead, because not every likes that way of life, and some people could not mentally and physically handle the larger scope of a self sustaining homestead. Some people just see the bits and pieces, or they can only do some of the bits and pieces well, so they would specialise in what they are good at, and if they are good enough people will seek them out for their help and services.

Neighboring homesteads or homesteading villages would trade work, seed, and materials with each other.