Famines of Colonial India (Essays on 19th Century India Book 3)

Famines of Colonial India
I read the chapter on famines in one stroke, with great interest and appreciation. It
provides a comprehensive account of social, economic, political and administrative
circumstances, causes and consequences of these famines. It is a blatant reality-check
for the people who argue that British Raj had advantages that outweighed its
disadvantages. These facts are relevant even today, for example, when the governments
and economists debate about counter-cyclical fiscal stimulus and tax cuts.ddkknkknknk
Dr. Badri Narayanan, Research Economist, Center for Global Trade Analysis, Purdue
University. USA.

In no way can the British regime be held responsible for the failure of the rains that
caused the drought resulting in famine. However, the way they handled the relief and
allowed so many millions to perish remains a black mark against Imperial British Raj.
It is catastrophic, since the number perished far exceeds the number Hitler eliminated
in his Final solution (Die Endlösung) of the systematic genocide of Jews, resulting in
the most deadly phase of the Holocaust. No wonder Mike Davis gave an appropriate
title to his book: Late Victorian Holocausts.