did the British cause the Irish Famine?

April 2, 2023

did the British cause the Irish Famine?

undefined — *An Irish Peasant Family Discovering the Blight of their Store* by Cork artist Daniel MacDonald, c. 1847
Daniel MacDonald – https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/outdoors/age-old-potato-blight-battle-453803.html
*An Irish Peasant Family Discovering the Blight of their Store* by Daniel MacDonald, c. 1847.)

The potato famines in Ireland, also known as the Great Famine or the Great Hunger, were a devastating period of mass starvation, disease, and emigration in Ireland that lasted from 1845 to 1852. While the British government’s response to the famine has become heavily criticized. Nevertheless, it becomes important to note that the direct cause of the potato famines lies with a potato disease known as late blight. Which devastated potato crops throughout Europe, not just in Ireland.

However, the British government’s policies and actions exacerbated the impact of the famine on Ireland.

What is late blight disease?

During this time, Ireland was part of the United Kingdom, and British policies such as the Corn Laws and the Navigation Acts had already placed significant economic burdens on Ireland. The British government’s response to the famine was inadequate and slow, with many arguing that they prioritized maintaining free-market policies and protecting the interests of British landowners over helping the starving Irish population. For example, the government continued to export food from Ireland during the famine, which further worsened the situation.

Additionally, the British government’s reliance on the doctrine of laissez-faire economics, which emphasized minimal government intervention in the economy, meant that they were slow to provide significant relief efforts. While the British government provided some aid. However, often inadequate and poorly distributed. Thus, with many critics arguing that it fell far short of what was needed to address the severity of the crisis.