Abstract
Seen from a broad perspective, in the context of accelerating globalisation, hunger presents an increasingly complex geographical picture. The simple contrast between rich and poor countries -between those with well-fed populations and those where people die of starvation- has given away to a much more varied picture where, in every continent and country, areas of wealth and extreme need exist side by side. Graham Riches’ (First world hunger: food security and welfare politics. Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke, 1997) pioneering work, with its unambiguous title First World Hunger, has revealed a world divided in different ways, disrupting the easy opposition of ‘rich’ and ‘poor’ countries. The shortage of food in what used to be known as the Third World was a ‘fact’ that was simply assumed. But an uncomfortable truth has now emerged: hunger, the eradication of which has been so often cited as an example of our collective success in the First World, has re-appeared and challenges both our world view and our image of ourselves. Indeed, the re-emergence of hunger in wealthy countries calls into question the alleged success of the capitalist, liberal and democratic model. Taking this perspective, this chapter focuses on three key areas. First, it establishes that hunger exists in the First World. Second, it explores the reasons why governments and developed societies appear so reluctant to accept this fact. Third, it highlights the causal relationship between politics – both international and domestic – and the increase/decrease in hunger. Finally, it raises a moral question: is the existence of hunger and malnutrition acceptable in a democracy? The answer quite evidently is no, but our reasoning is based not on whether a country is a democracy, an industrialised society or a welfare state, but simply on the simple fact that as human beings, it is unacceptable that some of us die for avoidable reasons.
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Notes
- 1.
This provision recognises the right of each country to limit the quantity of imports of agricultural products.
- 2.
As Kropotkin explained in Mutual Aid, the book was based on the articles he had written in response to an initial article by Henry Huxley entitled ‘The struggle for existence in human society’ (1888). However, it is interesting to recall that even Huxley, who is often associated with Social Darwinism, was an advocate of numerous state interventions – which would be inadmissible for many current supporters of neoliberalism. Moreover, Huxley argued that “a nation that pursued a ‘Social Darwinist’ position would soon self-destruct” and what was needed was state intervention to ensure “a population the labour of which is sufficiently remunerated” so it may be “physically and morally healthy and socially stable.” Within reason, of course, as “a moderate price of labour” was judged “essential to our success as competitors in the markets of the world.” (McKay, 2009, pp. 3–4)
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Filibi, I. (2022). When Wealth Can No Longer Hide Hunger: International Politics, Welfare Policies and the Need to Take Action. In: Escajedo San-Epifanio, L., Rebato Ochoa, E.M. (eds) Ethics of Charitable Food. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-93600-6_2
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