The Reagan/Thatcher era is coming to an end everywhere

[jaxexpat]

43. Yet, if Walmart were to close its doors there would be the equivalent of famine in the US.

No possibility of small vendors providing the same goods at the same budget friendly cost in time to prevent catastrophe. Perhaps the manufacturers and middlemen of these goods could try to bridge the gaps, but their business model would not stand the strain. Farmlands across the middle of America would lay fallow (even more than currently) for want of a market. Agribusiness has unforgiving business models in addition to growing seasons to follow, both of which are set in stone. Competing grocers may sell cheap in the near term until the fallow fields catch up with them as well. Yep, starvation midst untilled fields, decorated with weeds and idle combines.

We've seen the chaos of a few empty shelves. If those shelves disappeared altogether, it would get dicey.