History & Area Studies / Thematic History / Economic History & Industrialization

The Age of Soy: How One Tiny Bean Conquered Earth

The Age of the Soybean: An Environmental History of Soy During the Great Acceleration

Think soy is just health food for vegans? Think again. Nearly 80 percent of the world's soy never touches a vegan plate. Instead, it fuels the global meat industry, driving an explosive 1,200 percent production surge since 1961. Based on the groundbreaking work 'The Age of the Soybean: An Environmental History of Soy During the Great Acceleration', this presentation exposes how a humble East Asian bean quietly became the engine of modern global capitalism. Slide Breakdown: 1. The Great Illusion: Why less than 20 percent of soybeans are eaten by humans, and where the rest really goes. 2. The 1,200 Percent Surge: How postwar industrial agriculture turned soy into liquid gold and feedlot fuel. 3. The Hidden Cost: Record-breaking profits for developing economies versus the rapid destruction of South America's most biodiverse savannas. 4. The Takeaway: You might not eat soy directly, but your entire modern diet is built on it. Discover the geopolitical, economic, and ecological machinery hiding behind the world's most deceptively powerful crop.