Violence is fomented by the imposition of singular and belligerent identities on gullible people, championed by proficient artisans of terror.
Amartya SenRead
I attempted to see famines as broad "economic" problems (concentrating on how people can buy food, or otherwise get entitled to it), rather than in terms of the grossly undifferentiated picture of aggregate food supply for the economy as a whole.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes understanding famines as issues of access to food rather than just food supply.
Amartya Sen's quote shifts the perspective on famines from merely looking at the overall food supply to understanding the economic mechanisms that enable or prevent people from accessing food. By focusing on the economic factors that determine how individuals can buy food or receive entitlements to it, Sen highlights the importance of addressing social and economic inequalities that contribute to hunger, thus advocating for a more nuanced view of food security.
Themes
FamineFood SupplyEconomicsAccessEntitlementHunger
In practice
Example use cases
During a lecture on food security, this quote can illustrate how economic policies impact access to food.
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