Theories of Famine: From Malthus to Sen

Contents
	Figures
	Acknowledgements
	Introduction
	What is famine?
	2.1	Dictionary definitions
	2.2	Food shortage definitions
	2.3	Famine as mass starvation
	2.4	'Behavioural' definitions
	2.5	'Insider* definitions
	2.6	Conclusion
	Notes
	The evolution of famine theory
	3.1	Act of God or act of man?
	3.2	Supply failure or demand failure?
	3.3	Famine theory: multiplicity and simplicity
	3.4	Towards a taxonomy of famine theories
	Climate and famine
	4.1	Climate and 'natural famine regions'
	4.2	Drought and famine
	4.3	Seasonality, vulnerability and famine
	4.4	Conclusion
	The population monster
	5.1	Malthusian theory
	5.2	Critique and contra-Malthusian models
	5.3	Neo-Malthusianism
	5.4	Modem demographic arguments
	5.5	Policy implications
	5.6	Conclusion
	Appendix 5.1 A graphical representation of Malthus's model
	Notes
	The entitlement approach
	6.1	The basic entitlement approach
	6.2	Strengths of the entitlement approach
	6.3	Entitlements versus income
	6.4	Limitations of the entitlement approach
	6.5	Conclusion
	Appendix 6.1 Entitlements and starvation: a graphical approach
	Notes
	Famine and food markets
	7.1	Basic propositions
	7.2	Market dependence and demand failure
	7.3	Expectations, speculation and hoarding
	7.4	Imperfect or fragmented markets
	7.5	Conclusion
	Notes
	The management of natural resources
	8.1	'Natural degradation'
	8.2	indigenous ignorance'
	8.3	'Malignant exploitation'
	8.4	Conclusion
	Famine and development
	9.1	Marginalization and development
	9.2	Commoditization and market dependence
	9.3	The moral economy meets colonial capitalism
	9.4	Vulnerability as a 'phase of development*
	9.5	Case study: the Sahelian famine, 1969-74
	9.6	Conclusion
	Famine and government policy
	10.1	Urban bias
	10.2	Agricultural regulation
	10.3	Response failure
	10.4	Case study: the Soviet famine of 1932-4
	10.5	Case study: the Chinese famine of 1958-61
	10.6	Conclusion
	War and famine
	11.1	Militarization
	11.2	War
	11.3	Refugees
	11.4	Case study: the Netherlands, 1944
	11.5	Conclusion
	Note
	Famine and international relations
	12.1	International food markets
	12.2	International responsibility and response
	12.3	The politics of food aid
	12.4	Case study: the 1974 Bangladesh famine
	12.5	Conclusion
	Notes
	A summary of theories
	13.1	Defining famine
	13.2	Theories: background
	13.3	FAD theories
	13.4	Economic theories
	13.5	Political economy explanations
	13.6	Policy implications
	13.7	Conclusion: determinants of vulnerability
	Bibliography
	Subject index
	Name index