1. Today The “Entitlement” concept Geographical model of hunger
The Irish “hunger” example of the model

2. Amartya Sen’s Entitlement Concept
Sen’s seminal book: Poverty and Famines: An Essay on Entitlement and Deprivation (Oxford University Press, 1983) let to Nobel prize in economics
Famines/malnutrition/food scarcity/food insecurity are NOT caused by simple food shortages alone (production shortfalls)
The ability of people to command or acquire food is what is key (entitlement shortfalls)

3. Sen’s Entitlement Concept II
Ways to command/acquire food
Via capital (money or goods [e.g., cattle] exchanged for food)
Via income from labor/work (exchanged for food)
Via assistance (State or NGO) (could be money or food directly)
Via own production (requires access or ownership of enough quality land)
Most households do not rely on a single source or type

4. © Peter Menzel (in Hungry Planet, 2005 Ten Speed Press)
A week’s food for family in NC – virtually all purchased
© Peter Menzel (in Hungry Planet, 2005 Ten Speed Press)

5. © Peter Menzel (in Hungry Planet, 2005 Ten Speed Press)
A week’s food for refugee family from Darfur, Sudan – virtually all from aid
© Peter Menzel (in Hungry Planet, 2005 Ten Speed Press)

7. A week’s food for family in Chad – virtually all from own production
© Peter Menzel (in Hungry Planet, 2005 Ten Speed Press)

8. The “Geographical Hunger Model”
Need to see the problem at multiple scales
Regional
Household
Individual
“Drivers” (causes)
Work at multiple scales
There many different ones
Consequences
Also occur at multiple scales
Also are myrid

9. The Geographical Hunger Model II
Underlying Processes
Set the possibility for entitlement failures
Immediate Causes
Triggers of entitlement failures
Hunger Situations
Hunger consequences of entitlement failures
Direct Consequences
Other consequences of hunger situations

11. Irish “hunger” of 1846-51: Underlying Processes & background
Surplus production and appropriation & resource competition
The potato
Population growth
Crop failures and subsistence crisis throughout the nineteenth century
Racist views toward the Irish (probably delayed help)

12. Irish “hunger” Immediate/Proximate Causes & Processes
Environmental Fluctuation – infection of potato crop with Phytophthora infestons a fungal infection (late potato blight) spread by the wind
Socio-Economic policies that deprived millions of entitlements to food
Process – not a single event

13. Irish “hunger” Process
Blight 1845 => 40% loss and famine in 1846
1846 => near 100% loss + severe winter => severe famine & disease in 1847
potato crop not blighted but output low due to small planting (people expected blight)
Approximately 500,000 people were evicted, many of whom died of starvation or disease or relocated to mismanaged and inadequate poor houses (could not pay rent)
Prices soared => even urban poor suffered (dilution of income entitlement)

14. Irish “hunger” Process II
Eventually the English government also initiated relief schemes
Workhouses (but served as centers of contagion)
Repeal of corn laws in 1846 (but peasants too poor to buy food at any price)
It was at this juncture that the Duke of Norfolk suggested that the Irish should substitute curry powder for the potato and nourish themselves on curry powder mixed with water.

15. Irish “hunger” Process III
PM (Peel )was replaced in office in 1846 by Lord John Russell and a Whig administration dedicated to a laissez-faire policy
Charles Trevelyan, Assistant Secretary to the Treasury under Russell, oversaw famine relief efforts.
a “blame the victim” mentality: Irish were at fault for over-dependence on potatoes and high fertility (too many kids)
The British also saw it as a “natural disaster”: blamed it on the weather and the potato fungus
Wheat, oats, barley, butter, eggs, beef and pork were exported from the large estates Ireland in large quantities - as many as eight ships left Ireland daily carrying foodstuffs

16. Irish “hunger” Consequences
Starvation and disease became epidemic
More died of disease than of starvation.
Most were weakened from long starvation when they finally succumbed to typhus, cholera, dysentery, and scurvy.
At least 1 million perished
1 – 2 + million emigrated (mostly to US and England)
Population of Ireland
1850 = 6.5 m (from 8.5m 5 yrs earlier)
m => longer-term emigration, much to US