The Origins of the Third World (pre-read)

Late Victorian Holocausts: El Niño Famines and the Making of the Third World (2000) is a book about the impact of climatic events, particularly El Niño-related droughts, and the role of European colonial powers in exacerbating famines in the late 19th century.

The historian Mike Davis contends that policies such as laissez-faire economic approaches, free trade doctrines, and the emphasis on profit over human welfare contributed to the severity of the famines.

We will discuss the Preface, "A Note on Definitions", and Chapter 9 "The Origins of the Third World". Please read in advance.

All welcome regardless of background!

You can find the full book here.

You can find chapter 9 here.

The Preface and "A Note on Definitions" are here.