To clarify bozon's writeup regarding the British government's inaction. This was not primarily (or merely) a case of insensitivity towards the sufferings of the Irish people, but was the more or less deliberate result of political dogma, and in particular the enthusiasm of the British - politicians (if not Peel himself) and landowners alike - for Free Trade. This laissez-faire doctrine effectively outlawed governmental intervention in what was seen as an economic matter, while landowners growing other cash crops which were unaffected by the blight continued to export their produce - Ireland was a net exporter of food throughout the period.

Whether such dangers of the combination of rigidly laissez-faire economics and agricultural monoculture are now adequately recognised is a matter of conjecture. Maybe we should ask the WTO.


2006-06-09 - Writeup pending major revision following nuking of bozon's wu. This is why answer writeups are a Bad Thing, mmkay?