L3 Flashcards
What influences responses to famines according to the lecture?
Socio-political contexts influence responses to famines, such as the establishment of soup kitchens and related measures.
What significant shift in political economy occurred in the 19th century that affected famines?
There was a shift from focusing on nations and people to focusing on markets as the source of wealth, leading to laissez-faire policies during famines like those in Ireland and India.
How did Malthus’s views contribute to famine policies in the 19th century?
Malthus believed population grew faster than food production, and over-generous poor relief could stimulate overpopulation, leading to limited state intervention during famines.
What were some of the consequences of the Irish Potato Famine (1846-48)?
The Irish Potato Famine resulted in lasting population decline, the Irish Revolution, mass emigration, and changing social and cultural dynamics.
Why was the Indian Great Famine (1876-78) so deadly?
The Indian Great Famine was deadly due to El Niño (which suppressed the monsoon), forced cash crop production, taxation, and limited relief efforts by the British government.
What role did soup kitchens play during famines in the 19th century?
Soup kitchens were set up as relief measures, but they also reflected societal attitudes toward poverty and hunger, with moralizing views on who “deserved” help.
What change did Rumford introduce to soup kitchens during modernization?
Rumford’s soup kitchens aimed to reduce hunger efficiently and impersonalize food distribution, focusing on nutrition rather than the communal or moral aspects of hunger relief.
