# How many farmers were ruined so that rich people in Beverly Hills could have swimming pools? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 3, 2026, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-farmers-were-ruined-so-that-rich-people-in-beverly-hills-could-have-swimming-pools/1029751 "2026-05-03T17:06:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2026, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-farmers-were-ruined-so-that-rich-people-in-beverly-hills-could-have-swimming-pools/1029751/41 "2026-05-05T18:12:37Z")
Make 'em pay market rates for water. The problem will self-correct. They’ll sell the almonds they can at the cost they can. Let the magic of the market work. For once. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2026, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-farmers-were-ruined-so-that-rich-people-in-beverly-hills-could-have-swimming-pools/1029751/42 "2026-05-05T18:28:10Z")
Worth a read if you’re interested the topic of water in the west: _[Cadillac Desert](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadillac_Desert)_ ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2026, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-farmers-were-ruined-so-that-rich-people-in-beverly-hills-could-have-swimming-pools/1029751/43 "2026-05-05T22:13:21Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > which are a clear form of corporate welfare - socialize the risk and cost, while privatizing the profits. Most water use in ag is not for food on our tables, but for profitable export crops. If a small percentage of tree nut farms was culled, there would be a water surplus in California, and no need for costly projects. You make good points. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2026, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-farmers-were-ruined-so-that-rich-people-in-beverly-hills-could-have-swimming-pools/1029751/44 "2026-05-06T00:24:06Z")
Of course the whole point of “water rights” is claiming that you _already own_ the water; and woe betide anyone upstream of you that diverts **your** water! So expecting anyone with legacy rights to pay what the market currently bears for water would require a broad abolition of previous promises and entitlements. ---
**Author:** ![Nightaudit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nightaudit/32/17181_2.png) [@Nightaudit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightaudit)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2026, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-farmers-were-ruined-so-that-rich-people-in-beverly-hills-could-have-swimming-pools/1029751/45 "2026-05-06T17:57:54Z")
Screw the Trump supporting Kulaks in the Central Valley… ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2026, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-farmers-were-ruined-so-that-rich-people-in-beverly-hills-could-have-swimming-pools/1029751/46 "2026-05-06T18:37:06Z")
Without getting into the merits or demerits of California farmers, you do know that the Kulaks are considered victims of fanatical totalitarianism? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2026, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-farmers-were-ruined-so-that-rich-people-in-beverly-hills-could-have-swimming-pools/1029751/47 "2026-05-06T22:04:24Z")
Mankind making promises for eternity to be fulfilled by Nature, not by man, is a risky business. We now know enough not to do that. Not to say we won’t anyway, but we ought to know better. How we correct for previous mistakes made in honest ignorance is, as you say, a fraught business. But it _will_ be done. When the amount of water promised greatly exceeds the amount of water Nature makes available, something will give. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-farmers-were-ruined-so-that-rich-people-in-beverly-hills-could-have-swimming-pools/1029751.md?page=2)