Excellent explanation, but it could have been more factual instead of editorial in places.

In general this is an excellent article it covers the issues well with one point not covered as well as it should. Severe weather around the world has affected the ability to grow crops as widely as usual and governmental issues in the Mid-East are affecting oil and other energies prices.

Enterprising article by Frederick Kaufman. He hits the bulls eye. Never in US history has one company wielded such destructive power over political economy, irrespective of whether a Republican or a Democrat happened to be president. At least the lords of the old built railroads and steel mills, where Goldman Sachs makes its money placing bets on people losing their homes, it's not surprising that they'll make money betting on food and water.

Informative and insightful account of how the commodities market has distorted world food prices. Could have been even stronger if it had mentioned other factors at play, such as the growth of biofuels and the impact of climate shocks. It is the world's poor that ultimately pay the price for speculators' profits, the use of food crops for energy, and global warming triggered primarily by rich countries.

Frederick Kaufman delivers a well-constructed essay on the history of the commodities markets and how these markets have changed and been manipulated by the barons of Wall Street into weapons of mass disruption. Mr. Kaufman focuses mainly on the agricultural commodities market by focusing on grain futures and their economic effects both domestic and worldwide. He presents his case very clearly and in an easy-to-read and understand format that is useful, informative and enlightening while underscoring the importance of this issue. This is an excellent piece that should be read by anyone who wishes to gain a greater understanding of the economic issues we are facing today.

The journalism evident in this piece seems good. The subject is complex but the author has done a good job explaining the nuances -- and consequences -- behind deregulation of the commodities market. The bottom line, of course, is that those of us at the bottom of the food chain -- you and me -- are getting the short end of the carrot, for which we're now paying lots more. No surprise there.