Potatoes changing history

Reading “The Potato: the story of how a potato changed history” Amazon, I am struck by how the potato crossed national, linguistic, and economic boundaries–but there were various reactions to how the economic classes (“castes”) utilized the potato. These reactions illustrate that any particular technology or concept crossing boundaries will lead to several kinds of possible reactions:

• This technology/concept can’t be used in that caste/class [lack of know-how, ability, etc]

• Others [e.g. government, tradition, whatever] won’t allow us to cross the class/caste boundary.

• We should not let the thing cross the class/caste boundary [“it raises them to undue distinction” or “it lets them out”]

• If that class/caste uses a technology/concept, then we will not [“the potato is the food of the poor”]

• Crossing the class/caste divide opens up lots of new markets, of course we should do it

• When that class has no other option, then of course they will use this - but if there’s any other option they won’t

The potato changed history, anyway.