Man-made famine

Nature

While farmers have faced droughts for millennia, it is only recently that dry years result in widespread famine. Formerly, in good years, a farmer would fill grain stores with enough to survive for several consecutive seasons. Grazing was done considering available pastures and water holes so over grazing was avoided. Fields were left fallow for long periods to enable the soil to recover. This balance has been disrupted by a number of things. Veterinary medicine by treating animals has resulted in vast herds with little grass. Mechanical pumps increase the use of water creating the likelihood of drought. Demands for market crops because of pressures for exports and encourage short term thinking. Grain silos are emptied eliminating buffers against famine. The land is no longer left fallow and the soil becomes exhausted.

Background

Man-made famine emerged as a recognized global crisis in the 20th century, notably with the Ukrainian Holodomor (1932–33) and China’s Great Leap Forward (1958–62), where deliberate policies led to mass starvation. International awareness grew as researchers and human rights organizations documented these events, revealing famine as a tool of political repression. Subsequent crises in Ethiopia, Sudan, and Yemen further underscored the recurring, preventable nature of man-made famine in modern history.

Incidence

Major examples have been associated with experiments in centralized planning including the famine in the Ukraine in 1932-1933 (estimated 5 million died) and that in China following the Great Leap Forward programme in 1960 (conservative estimate that 20 million died).

Claim

Man-made famine is a grave and urgent crisis, representing a catastrophic failure of humanity and leadership. It is not a natural disaster, but a deliberate act or result of neglect, often used as a weapon against vulnerable populations. The suffering and death it causes are entirely preventable, making it a moral outrage. Addressing man-made famine must be a global priority—anything less is a betrayal of our shared responsibility to protect human life.

Counter-claim

Man-made famine is not an important problem in today’s world. With modern technology, global food distribution, and international aid, the chances of widespread famine caused by human actions are minimal. Most countries have systems in place to prevent such disasters, making the issue largely irrelevant. Focusing on man-made famine distracts from more pressing global concerns like climate change, technological advancement, and economic development, which have a far greater impact on humanity’s future.