"Sen found that democracies with a free press did not have famines. "No famine has ever taken place in the history of the world in a functioning democracy," Sen wrote. Democratic governments "have to win elections and face public criticism, and have strong incentive to undertake measures to avert famines and other catastrophes." Autocracies and empires and fiefdoms tolerated famines; rulers could look the other way because their authority was based only on brute force."
"Sen had experience close at hand: some 3 million people died in the Bengal Famine when Great Britain ruled India. Sen was now eighty-nine years old and considered a legend at Harvard and in economics and development departments around the world. After a few minutes, I was called into his office. I pulled up a seat in front of him."
""So what are you working on?" he asked finally. "Fascism," I said. Sen leaned back, knowingly. "Fascism," he repeated. After a pause, he said, "Around the world?" "Mostly in North America," I said. Sen scrunched his face, and he sat forward slightly. "Fascism is spreading elsewhere too. You must address the rest of the world.""
Amartya Sen connected economic analysis to mass inequality and development in societies shaped by colonialism. He concluded that functioning democracies with a free press do not experience famines. Democratic governments must win elections and face public criticism, creating strong incentives to take measures that avert famines and other catastrophes. Autocracies, empires, and fiefdoms can tolerate famines because rulers rely on brute force and can ignore suffering. Sen’s view was informed by the Bengal Famine, in which about three million people died under British rule. In conversation, Sen urged attention to fascism beyond North America, emphasizing that it was spreading elsewhere too.
Read at The Walrus
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