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Three Famines: Starvation and Politics in the 20th Century

Federico García Lorca

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In the 20th century, three famines—the Great Famine in Russia, the Holodomor in Ukraine, and the Great Leap Forward in China—killed millions of people. These famines were not natural disasters, but rather man-made tragedies, caused by political and economic factors.

Three Famines: Starvation and Politics

by Thomas Keneally

4.2 out of 5

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The Great Famine in Russia was caused by a combination of factors, including the collectivization of agriculture, the forced removal of peasants from their land, and the disruption of the food distribution system. The Holodomor in Ukraine was a deliberate act of genocide, carried out by the Soviet government in Free Download to crush Ukrainian nationalism. The Great Leap Forward in China was caused by a combination of factors, including the collectivization of agriculture, the pursuit of unrealistic economic targets, and the suppression of dissent.

The human cost of these famines was enormous. In Russia, an estimated 7 million people died during the Great Famine. In Ukraine, an estimated 4 million people died during the Holodomor. In China, an estimated 30 million people died during the Great Leap Forward.

These famines were some of the most tragic events of the 20th century. They serve as a reminder of the dangers of political extremism, and the importance of protecting human rights.

The Great Famine in Russia

The Great Famine in Russia occurred between 1921 and 1922. It was caused by a combination of factors, including the collectivization of agriculture, the forced removal of peasants from their land, and the disruption of the food distribution system.

The collectivization of agriculture was a policy of the Soviet government that forced peasants to give up their land and join collective farms. This policy was disastrous, as it led to a decline in agricultural production. The forced removal of peasants from their land was also a contributing factor to the famine, as it deprived peasants of their food source.

The disruption of the food distribution system was another factor that contributed to the famine. The Soviet government had requisitioned all grain from the peasants, leaving them with nothing to eat. The government also failed to provide adequate food assistance to the famine-stricken areas.

The Great Famine in Russia was a devastating event. An estimated 7 million people died during the famine. The famine left a lasting legacy of hunger and poverty in Russia.

The Holodomor in Ukraine

The Holodomor was a deliberate act of genocide, carried out by the Soviet government in Free Download to crush Ukrainian nationalism. The famine occurred between 1932 and 1933, and resulted in the deaths of an estimated 4 million people.

The Holodomor was caused by a combination of factors, including the collectivization of agriculture, the forced removal of peasants from their land, and the disruption of the food distribution system. However, the famine was also a deliberate act of genocide, as the Soviet government deliberately targeted Ukrainian peasants for starvation.

The Soviet government had long been suspicious of Ukrainian nationalism. In the early 1930s, the Soviet government launched a campaign of collectivization in Ukraine, which forced peasants to give up their land and join collective farms. This policy was met with resistance from Ukrainian peasants, who were fiercely independent.

In response to the resistance, the Soviet government launched a campaign of terror in Ukraine. Peasants who resisted collectivization were arrested, deported, or executed. The government also requisitioned all grain from the peasants, leaving them with nothing to eat.

The Holodomor was a devastating event for Ukraine. An estimated 4 million people died during the famine. The famine left a lasting legacy of hunger and poverty in Ukraine.

The Great Leap Forward in China

The Great Leap Forward was a campaign of economic development in China that was launched by the Chinese Communist Party in 1958. The campaign was a failure, and resulted in a famine that killed an estimated 30 million people.

The Great Leap Forward was based on the idea that China could rapidly industrialize by mobilizing the masses. The campaign involved the collectivization of agriculture, the establishment of backyard steel furnaces, and the pursuit of unrealistic economic targets.

The Great Leap Forward was a disaster. The collectivization of agriculture led to a decline in agricultural production. The backyard steel furnaces produced low-quality steel. And the pursuit of unrealistic economic targets led to the diversion of resources from essential sectors of the economy.

The Great Leap Forward also led to a famine. The government had requisitioned all grain from the peasants, leaving them with nothing to eat. The government also failed to provide adequate food assistance to the famine-stricken areas.

The Great Leap Forward was a devastating event for China. An estimated 30 million people died during the famine. The famine left a lasting legacy of hunger and poverty in China.

The three famines of the 20th century—the Great Famine in Russia, the Holodomor in Ukraine, and the Great Leap Forward in China—were some of the most tragic events in human history. They serve as a reminder of the dangers of political extremism, and the importance of protecting human rights.

Three Famines: Starvation and Politics

by Thomas Keneally

4.2 out of 5