In Ireland, where half the population relied on the potato as their main source of food, the impact was even more extreme. One million people died and between 1845 and 1855, two million emigrated. Today Ireland is the only country in the western world with a population lower than it had in the 1840s. The famine had broader repercussions. It caused the fall of the British government led by Robert Peel in 1846, was a catalyst for the revolutions that rocked Europe in 1848 and became the root for the global Irish Diaspora that today numbers 70,000,000 across the world.
Showing posts with label hunger. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hunger. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 06, 2023
The Great Hunger - ARTE
Dec 6, 2023 | Narrated by Liam Neeson. 175 years ago Europe was struck by a devastating famine. The food crisis was triggered when a deadly fungus escaped from South America and destroyed the potato crops. 100,000 people died of starvation and disease in France, Belgium, Holland, Scotland and the Kingdom of Prussia.
In Ireland, where half the population relied on the potato as their main source of food, the impact was even more extreme. One million people died and between 1845 and 1855, two million emigrated. Today Ireland is the only country in the western world with a population lower than it had in the 1840s. The famine had broader repercussions. It caused the fall of the British government led by Robert Peel in 1846, was a catalyst for the revolutions that rocked Europe in 1848 and became the root for the global Irish Diaspora that today numbers 70,000,000 across the world.
In Ireland, where half the population relied on the potato as their main source of food, the impact was even more extreme. One million people died and between 1845 and 1855, two million emigrated. Today Ireland is the only country in the western world with a population lower than it had in the 1840s. The famine had broader repercussions. It caused the fall of the British government led by Robert Peel in 1846, was a catalyst for the revolutions that rocked Europe in 1848 and became the root for the global Irish Diaspora that today numbers 70,000,000 across the world.
Tuesday, April 11, 2023
US Hunger: The Cost of Keeping Rich People Rich - Economic Update with Richard Wolff
And to think that the Tories want to copy this broken economic system! Ugh! Perish the thought! We Brits are Europeans, not Americans! – © Mark Alexander
Friday, July 22, 2022
‘There’s Nothing Else to Give Them’: Liverpool Food Banks Confront Rising Hunger
THE GUARDIAN: Volunteers say they have never seen such acute need as inflation, soaring energy costs and cuts to benefits force growing numbers into dire poverty
An uncomfortable silence fills the hall of St Bride’s church in Liverpool. In a few minutes, its doors will open to some of the city’s hungriest families. Between 250 and 300 people are expected at its latest weekly food bank, although it could be more. But there is little to offer them: only 150 parcels of food and a small pile of unwanted clothes.
For the first time in years, the volunteers have to turn people away. They look aghast. “That will last half an hour at best. What do we do then?” asks Julian Sowden, one of the longest-serving volunteers. “There’s nothing else to give them. We just stop? We just shut the door?”
The answer – “yes” – is met with silence. School holidays are approaching, says another helper, the church will be “inundated with people who can’t feed their children”. Nick Mendes, one of the trustees, asks in a plaintive prayer for God to “supply our needs”. Little more than an hour later, the food has gone. » | Josh Halliday, North of England correspondent | Friday, July 22, 2022
This is heartrending! Is this what forty years of Thatcherism has reduced this once great country to? And Brexit? And twelve plus consecutive years of Tory misrule?
Make no mistake! I am no lefty. Not at all! But there is capitalism and there is capitalism. Thatcher’s version was right for the time, but it should have been placed onto the garbage of history long ago. It has outlived its usefulness, at least for the time being.
These days, we are confronting a very different set of problems than Thatcher faced. Thatcherism was joined at the hip with Reaganomics. Interestingly, and perhaps ominously, both Reaganomics and Thatcherism were economic theories based on two people’s understanding who had never studied economics!
The current Conservative leader hopefuls are arguing it out among themselves about just how much more Thatcherism this country needs. Despite being a lifelong Conservative voter until the Conservatives turned populist and anti-EU, I would say that the last thing this country needs is yet more Thatcherism. How much more ‘trickle-up’ economics does this country need? How much more inequality? How much more poverty? How many more foodbanks?
Let the lady rest in peace. This country has been almost destroyed by greed. Let’s give compassion a chance, shall we? We might well be surprised by the results. – © Mark Alexander
An uncomfortable silence fills the hall of St Bride’s church in Liverpool. In a few minutes, its doors will open to some of the city’s hungriest families. Between 250 and 300 people are expected at its latest weekly food bank, although it could be more. But there is little to offer them: only 150 parcels of food and a small pile of unwanted clothes.
For the first time in years, the volunteers have to turn people away. They look aghast. “That will last half an hour at best. What do we do then?” asks Julian Sowden, one of the longest-serving volunteers. “There’s nothing else to give them. We just stop? We just shut the door?”
The answer – “yes” – is met with silence. School holidays are approaching, says another helper, the church will be “inundated with people who can’t feed their children”. Nick Mendes, one of the trustees, asks in a plaintive prayer for God to “supply our needs”. Little more than an hour later, the food has gone. » | Josh Halliday, North of England correspondent | Friday, July 22, 2022
This is heartrending! Is this what forty years of Thatcherism has reduced this once great country to? And Brexit? And twelve plus consecutive years of Tory misrule?
Make no mistake! I am no lefty. Not at all! But there is capitalism and there is capitalism. Thatcher’s version was right for the time, but it should have been placed onto the garbage of history long ago. It has outlived its usefulness, at least for the time being.
These days, we are confronting a very different set of problems than Thatcher faced. Thatcherism was joined at the hip with Reaganomics. Interestingly, and perhaps ominously, both Reaganomics and Thatcherism were economic theories based on two people’s understanding who had never studied economics!
The current Conservative leader hopefuls are arguing it out among themselves about just how much more Thatcherism this country needs. Despite being a lifelong Conservative voter until the Conservatives turned populist and anti-EU, I would say that the last thing this country needs is yet more Thatcherism. How much more ‘trickle-up’ economics does this country need? How much more inequality? How much more poverty? How many more foodbanks?
Let the lady rest in peace. This country has been almost destroyed by greed. Let’s give compassion a chance, shall we? We might well be surprised by the results. – © Mark Alexander
Thursday, April 14, 2022
Hunger in Brazil I ARTE.tv Documentary
Apr 14, 2022 • Almost 60% of the Brazilian population is now food insecure and around 20 million Brazilians suffer from hunger... This is Twice as many as in 2018. A situation further aggravated by the COVID-19 epidemic that has caused more than 600 000 deaths and ruined the economy.
Hunger in Brazil I ARTE.tv Documentary
Available until the 08/02/2025
Hunger in Brazil I ARTE.tv Documentary
Available until the 08/02/2025
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