The Chinese are not stupid... We are not going to war with China over anything. First of all the US is not going to start a war over Taiwan. Yeah, we will sell them arms but none of the arms sales brings anything near parity between Taiwan and Chinese armed forces. Second, in a purely conventional conflict the US would quickly destroy the Chinese Air Force and Navy. The Chinese Army is another matter but it is only a factor if one wishes to invade the mainland. Third, in a nuclear conflict the US is still in a mutually-assured-destruction parity with China. The US would suffer nearly total destruction and China would be made a glass floored self-lighting parking lot. I doubt they want that. We sure don't. Fourth, in an economic conflict the US and China again have a mutually-assured-destruction type outcome and India, Europe and others benefit. So, why do people continue to blather about some war with China?
Farmland is still pretty cheap in places like north dakota. I plan to buy some farmland, but I think I'm going to be shopping for it in Asia.
This could make sense as a speculation, but not as a hedge to a situation like the one Faber is expecting. If you're not a native to the country you're looking to purchase in then your land holdings will probably be confiscated by the government in times of a crisis. As a hedge it only really makes sense to buy farmland locally. I will probably buy some farmland in Holland, where I live and was born, if and when cashflow yields rise significantly. It's an excellent diversification and if need be I can defend my claim to my land holdings in a local court, using my native language, under a system of laws I understand and am not shut out of due to foreign capital controls or changes in land holding rights for foreign nationals.
Farmland....comquats or whatever....is as good as what it produces.... Farmland all over the world.....is priced way over what it can produce economically..... Would you being willing to accept 2% returns....in a good year ? Of course this would be a non commercial approach....however the cost of farmland is really about one's ability to be independent.....self reliant..... Also this issue points towards smaller land tracts for "family-type" farms.... Why do you think that the US used to have 70% of its population in some form of agriculture...and today has less than 1%....? The real issue here is one of self reliance and independence.... ............................................ The integrated corporate farms....are the future.... ........................................ The only way an individual could pursue farming on a proper scale in the US...is only if one's daddy gives one the land....ie free land....this is also becoming/has been true all over the world.... ............................................ Farber and Rogers need to fine tune their message....
I doubt buying land in Holland if you do not live there, has any more legal defense than buying land where you live.
Personally I think its better to buy it in the 3rd world. If the SHTF and money becomes worthless, I seriously doubt courts will have the power to give or take anything. Also, its much cheaper to bribe the right rebel groups to protect you, and labor will also be much cheaper. It better to pay 1/10th of an oz of silver to a worker in asia who will work really hard for that money, than to pay an american or european who still have a sense of entitlement 1 or 2 oz of silver per day and they balk at getting that much because they were used to getting $50k per year before the collapse. Also if there is still power in government, its so much cheaper and easier to pay a bribe than to pay lawyers to defend your case, and in europe and the USA, its alot harder to bribe people because they put you in jail for that here.