Irish History/ Famine - Essay Example

Firstly, during The Famine Irish had an opportunity to ensure that British government, by whom Ireland was possessed at that time, care much of England and less of its colonies. When in September 1845 the very first signs of blight had been revealed, government paid no appropriate attention to a problem. British government only started to be concerned when later in autumn the most important potato harvest of the year had failed. One-third of potato had failed by mid-November. Then the commission on blight was set up.

By the time it was obvious, that hunger winter were coming, the British Prime Minister Sir Robert Peel made a maize purchase from U.S., but in order to stabilize prices on Irish food production, not to feed starving Irish people. Coohill says, “It was never Peel’s plan for the government to feed all the people directly”, because it was unnatural practice for XIX century (2005, 63). Instead of direct help a relief commission was set up. Irish landlords were told to take a responsibility for a relief at local levels.

Public works were also established by the government in order to let those in need to work and earn keep for themselves and their families, but the payment was extremely low. Coohill says, the only reason why public works had worked during the first year was because Ireland itself had resources to survive one year of hunger (Coohill 2005, 63). When next year Lord John Russell had formed the government, he provided even more carefree policy. Coohill says, it was so-called “let do” policy, when government chooses not to interfere into economy of a country (2005, 64).

Russell was convinced that Ireland can handle The Famine problems by itself, and therefore he shut down public works and put a whole responsibility for Ireland economic stabilization on local landlords. Russell also was convinced that local landlords had enough resources to supply suffering people. But harvest had failed again. More and more