Late Victorian Holocausts Summary

Over the course of this semester I’ve read The Late Victorian Holocausts by Mike Davis in which he discusses the cross-global history of the devastating famines and natural disasters that effected significant portions of the world in the late 19th century. In reading through the chapters it made clear to me that Davis placed the blame on a number of factors. However, in this paper I will only be discussing three that I found to have the most significance.

These three themes are the fault for widespread misery: radical climatic change, the expansion of the world economy, and the new imperialism. In the first two parts of Late Victorian Holocausts, Davis explores the conjuncture of El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) episodes with the social

and cultural practices of the early phase of globalization. In spite of widespread crop failures and water shortages, which proceeded from droughts and flooding effected by ENSO, food surpluses were common. Yet millions perished. European colonizers and merchants, aware of the human costs of their choices, avoided providing for the withering masses. Instead, driven by their faith in liberalism, the agents of "free trade" directed food surpluses to European markets and the heart of the industrial machine. Indigenous actors were neither oblivious to their diminishing fortunes nor stripped of agency.
The primary theme is on how the European powers used the famines to strengthen their colonial rule. Davis links global capitalist markets to famines caused by weak political systems. He went a step further in than most theorists by collecting data and information (including qualitative and quantitative) from each of the regions he described (South Asia, Middle East, Africa, Latin America) and the responses of the colonial powers (the British, Dutch, French, etc.). This was an enormous amount of research and he took his time explaining it properly. “The lower classes were the first to be affected, and they soon disappeared or dispersed in search of subsistence elsewhere. Now the famine has attacked the well-to-do and the wealthy, who find themselves reduced to greater misery as each day goes by, and they, in their turn, are dying off or following those who have migrated elsewhere. In the earlier period of distress the living fed upon the bodies of the dead; next, the strong devoured the weak; and, now, the general destitution has arrived at such a climax that men devour those of their own flesh and blood.” Davis, Mike (2002-06-17). Late Victorian Holocausts: El Nino Famines and the Making of the Third World (pg.72). For obvious reasons the data he collected can be extremely disconcerting because one begins to realize the similarities to this day and age. There are certain matters that repeat themselves throughout history. Many individuals currently believe that climate change; global warming is a myth or a hoax that was fabricated by scientist to scare the masses.
The following theme relates to the element in which Davis stresses on the reactions of the government. This part that was the most interesting to me because it showed how relevant it is today. Davis points out how the surviving leaders “were permanently uprooted from the rich west coast of Grande Terre in favor of plantations, ranches and penal colonies.” Davis, Mike (2002-06-17). Late Victorian Holocausts: El Nino Famines and the Making of the Third World (pages 98-99). This could be considered a prediction of the events that can occur if the same thing were to occur today. If a drought were to occur right this second it would bare the same result, despite the best campaigns and promises from the “elite” they’d be the first to abandon ship as people in general are selfish and are looking out for their own best interest and survival.
What is most alarming is how quickly the level of acute malnutrition, characterized by hunger edema and anemia rose. “The unrest in the countryside was aggravated by the growing visibility and arrogance of the foreign community.” Davis, Mike (2002-06-17). Late Victorian Holocausts: El Nino Famines and the Making of the Third World (pg. 125). While Davis spent a lot of time explaining El Nino and how it works, and why it caused these droughts and food shortages, he failed to clarify how the Britain played a major role in causing these famines and "creating" the third world, through blind dependence on the market to solve all food problems.
Furthermore, the fact that the British were reluctant to help the process of the “free” market upon despite the enormity of the situation and the death count emphasizes Davis’s point. Many already know that the gravity of the suffering is generally always tied to world economy and the forcible destruction of traditional support mechanisms. The third and one of the most alarming theme Davis discusses is how murderous colonial policy and climate variability unleashed a tide of suffering across what we sometimes call the developing world. Davis examines the science of meteorology in the third part of his book and the attempts by Europeans to explain the sudden shift in the global climate in par with human misfortune. Davis goes on to highlights that the late Victorian period may be an icon for the modern world. As the past and present share a number of striking similarities the first, the rapid expansion of global markets; second by the rapid expansion of shipping and communications technology; third, the lopsided trade agreements that put poor producers and rich consumers into the same market place; and finally the significant climate variability.
Regardless of scientific understanding, however, Davis laments that advances in climatology yet retains his belief on his interpretation of events “were purchased at the price of a narrowed and depoliticized scope of scientific inquiry… were still defending his view that famine was a straight forward consequence of the onset of British colonial rule and revenue policies” Davis, Mike (2002-06-17).

Late Victorian Holocausts: El Nino Famines and the Making of the Third World (pg. 219). In reading these chapters your immersed with history that brings to light the fact that both climate cycles and the politics of famine played a major role in what happened during this era. It’s refreshing to learn more about how El Nino and La Nina, as well the huge differences between famine, drought, flood, crop failure, and

hunger.
In addition, to the third theme Davis also indicated how the famines were linked to El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO). I considered this to be an exaggerated statement since not many people consider how global weather patterns can affect our food supply in the future. This book touched upon facts that droughts have been common throughout history, and agricultural societies have commonly prepared for them by creating emergency reserves of stored grain. “The most severe wind erosion occurs during droughts.” Davis, Mike (2002-06-17). Late Victorian Holocausts: El Nino Famines and the Making of the Third World (pg. 255). As I’ve mentioned in previous summaries I’m no expert but even I understand that ocean currents play a major role in our climate change. Nevertheless, Davis continues to make the case that as a result of the political shifts in many regions, these safety nets were in poor condition during the late Victorian droughts. “The disastrous policies that had paved the way of the famine were not changed for three years as the famine raged on, and this was made possible by the near-total suppression of news about the famine and the total absence of media criticism of what was then happening in China.” Davis, Mike (2002-06-17). Late Victorian Holocausts: El Nino Famines and the Making of the Third World (pg. 251).
Davis continues this explanation with a detailed history that was interesting and hard to follow at times.

He develops an important argument about the “origins of the third world” (p. 279). The late nineteenth century’s ENSO droughts were no mere footnote. Rather, ENSO-driven climate change intersected with a century-long erosion of pre-capitalist state structures and the simultaneous expansion of commodity production and exchange, especially in South and East Asia. Famine and ecological crisis ensued, their lasting effects found in today’s extreme global inequality. Davis says that “The wealth generated by usury and rack-renting was almost entirely parasitic, with negligible productive reinvestment in cattle, irrigation or farm equipment” Davis, Mike (2002-06-17) Late Victorian Holocausts: El Niño Famines and the Making of the Third World (pg.318). He seems to be saying that political ecology offers a holistic approach and sees the individual as responsible, but with a nod to the influence of geopolitics. The political element of the equation is all the more important when you realize that in the Third World, poor also means, poor in

power.
Finally for me this book is a road map of what is currently happening and what will evidently follow. The volume left many unanswered questions for me as the chapters progressed. Such as who defines an event as a famine as there are going to be periods in time where there is going to be a shortage? There are many instances in which I didn’t agree with Davis and questioned his work. However, this book can justify anyone’s paranoia that one may have about the end of the world. I personally think after reading these chapters that us humans will be our own destruction, just look at our current presidential status and the state of our economy. Factor in the fact that all society seems to care about is frivolous things that won’t exist tomorrow; while ignoring prevalent issues will be are inevitable downfall.