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From: mmt@dciem.UUCP (Martin Taylor)
Newsgroups: net.politics.theory
Subject: Re: Re: (micromotives & macrobehavior) -- famines
Message-ID: <1711@dciem.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 8-Oct-85 19:34:52 EDT
Article-I.D.: dciem.1711
Posted: Tue Oct  8 19:34:52 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 8-Oct-85 20:25:56 EDT
References: <3476@topaz.UUCP> <28200078@inmet.UUCP> <755@cybvax0.UUCP> <10414@ucbvax.ARPA> <1689@dciem.UUCP> <763@psivax.UUCP>
Reply-To: mmt@dciem.UUCP (PUT YOUR NAME HERE)
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Summary: 


OK, so my Britannica list of famines didn't include any in capitalist
countries -- because, as Sarima pointed out, there ARE no capitalist
countries.  But in the spirit of the original question, as to whether
there were any famines not attributable to socialism (not the wording
of the question, but the implication), I think the list suggests quite
well that famines happen as Britannica says, because of lack of supply,
lack of transport for distribution, or lack of organization.  In particular,
the Indian solution that aborted many famines (according to Britannica)
was a neat mix of quasi-socialist and quasi-capitalist ideas: Don't give
direct relief, but start massive public works so that everyone will have
money to buy food with (this only worked after the railways were built).
It's funny that none of the critical comment mentioned this part
of my original posting.
-- 

Martin Taylor
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