Thomas Malthus and the Irish Famine
The Irish Potato Famine in 1845–49 was originally caused by a blight in the Irish potato crop. The blight instigated serious deterioration of the plant’s tubers, roots, and leaves. The effects of the blight devastated the crop and its sub-sequential harvest, as well as caused mass starvation. One million Irish people lost their lives because of the damage done by the blight. Now known as the Great Famine, the potato famine in Ireland is considered to be Europe’s worst famine.
But why was this famine so devastating? Surely Ireland strived to provide sustenance on various other crops. Surely Ireland had allies that chose to support them in their time of need. Great Britain, a wealthy and successful neighboring country of Ireland, would have unquestionably aided a country not 300 miles away. But that is not what history tells us. Instead, there is no indication that Great Britain, a world power, significantly aided the Irish during the Great Famine. Why?
In 1798, a British economist theorized that the world population would outlast the capabilities of food production. That is, as the population increased, agriculture would never be able to keep up with the continuously increasing demand. In response to Malthus’s theory, one solution to this problem was to decrease the ever-growing population. In fact, it was this very same kind of thinking that prevailed in Great Britain in the 1840s.
In the eyes of the sophisticated British, the Great Famine was an indication that Malthus’s presumptions were correct. No aid was directed towards the Irish simply because the British believed that overpopulation was the cause of Irish demise, not a potato disease. One million people died because of the blight. Yet, a country more than capable of diminishing this mass death turned a blind eye.
What can be learned from this instance in history? One answer may be that becoming more informed can, in effect, deter people from severe and lethal harm. Another answer may be that the Irish should have ensured that their sustenance did not come from a single monoculture. Perhaps the most important lesson that can be learned from the Great Famine is how easily man can excuse the death of his fellow brother. If Britain had helped Ireland through this tragedy, how many of the one million lost would have been saved? That number will never be known.
To this day, there are those that support Malthus and his theories. Their argument has revealed itself from time to time throughout history. But their predictions have since then, always been false. The world population has never outlasted food production. And as long as there remains to be humans that strive to learn from history’s mistakes, it never will.
Sources: