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Famine - Russell's Response (1946-52) - Coggle Diagram
Famine - Russell's Response (1946-52)
Crop failure of 1846 and 1847
Government sent more troops than food
People were eating nothing but blackberries and nettles
1946 furious crowds attacked exporting ships
August 1846 entire potato crop failed leading to high price rises
Increasing evictions led to bodies not being buried for days (Black 47)
Russell believed Irish landlords should bear costs not the British taxpayers
Public wages were too low to pay for food prices, meant many suffered from malnutrition
November 1847 freezing weather meant labourers one public works froze and died
Expanded and reformed public work schemes
By March 1847 over 700,000 employed
Belief people must take responsibility for themselves
Early 1847 began to close down due to them clearly being inadequate
New 'price rates' meant workers were paid for output not in wages, led to a further reduction in wages
Temporary Relief Act
Known as the 'Soup Kitchen Act' of February 1847
Charities like Quakers had been issuing free soup since late 1946
Authorised government funded soup kitchens
By the middle of 1847 total number being issued with soup rations was over 3 million
Insufficient to reach even the landowners so definitely didn't reach those in dire need
Most effective method adopted by far by the government to deal with the starvations
Closed in September 1947 as they were designed to be temporary, the Indian corn imports also ended
After closure there was a focus on public works and the poor law system
The Poor Law Extension Act June 1847
Aimed to provide assistance to the destitute and prevent begging and vagrancy
Led to construction of workhouses under Poor Law Unions
Workhouses made to relief could be received but conditions were poor
Able bodied could only receive poor relief if they entered the workhouse
Landlords paying rent
They had to do this on all holdings valued £4 or less a year
Principle that Irish landlords must pay for Irish poverty
Incentivises evictions of smaller tenants
Troops and police evicted the families
Led to shops being raided
Many landlords were heavily indebted as they weren't receiving as much rent
Many wanted Russell to put the burden onto the British taxpayer
Argued that the act would destroy the feckless landlords
The Gregory Clause of the 1847 Act
'eviction made easy act'
No tenant occupying more than 1/4 acre of land could receive poor relief
Meant poor relief could only be removed by those who had surrendered
Overall legislation was seen as callous
Blight returned until 1852, 1849 was the worst year
Determined to end spending on the famine
1847 financial crisis put finances under pressure
Blight was bound to end
Put on poor law system which couldn't cope
Assumed many had died or emigrated
Left choice between surrendering land or starving and going to the workhouses, many preferred to starve