Great Famine of 1876

The Great Famine of 1876–1878, also known as the Southern India Famine of 1876–78, was one of the most devastating famines in British colonial India. It affected large parts of the Madras Presidency, Bombay Presidency, Mysore, Hyderabad, and the Deccan region, leading to the deaths of millions of people. The famine was caused by severe drought conditions linked to monsoon failure, compounded by colonial economic policies and inadequate administrative response.

Background and Causes

The Great Famine occurred during the rule of Viceroy Lord Lytton (1876–1880), at a time when India was heavily integrated into the global economy under British rule. Several interconnected factors contributed to the famine:

1. Failure of Monsoon (1876) – The monsoon rains failed in the summer of 1876, leading to drought conditions across southern and western India. Crop failures were particularly severe in Madras, Mysore, and Hyderabad.
2. Economic Policies of the British Government – British colonial policies prioritised export-oriented agriculture and land revenue collection. Even during the famine, grain exports to Britain continued, worsening local shortages.
3. High Land Revenue Demands – The Ryotwari system imposed fixed land revenue, forcing peasants to sell grain reserves to pay taxes. This left rural populations vulnerable to food scarcity.
4. Poor Transportation and Relief Organisation – Though railways existed, the British administration’s “free trade” approach discouraged intervention in grain markets. Relief works were minimal and delayed.
5. Global Climatic Conditions – The famine coincided with a strong El Niño event, disrupting rainfall patterns across Asia and Africa and contributing to widespread drought.

Geographic Extent and Impact

The famine primarily affected:

• Madras Presidency (modern Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh)
• Mysore Kingdom
• Bombay Deccan (Maharashtra region)
• Hyderabad State
• Parts of the Central Provinces and Punjab

The worst-affected districts included Bellary, Kurnool, Cuddapah, Salem, and Coimbatore in the south, and Bijapur, Sholapur, and Satara in the west.
The total number of deaths has been estimated at between 5 million and 10 million, though official colonial records placed it at approximately 5.5 million. Starvation, disease (such as cholera and malaria), and displacement contributed to the high mortality rate.

British Administrative Response

The British government’s response to the famine was widely criticised for its delayed and inadequate measures. Relief policies were guided by the laissez-faire economic philosophy dominant in Victorian Britain, which discouraged state interference in markets.

• Famine Commissions and Relief Works: The British established limited public works programmes, such as road construction, to provide employment. However, wages were deliberately kept low under the “Famine Code” to discourage dependency.
• Export Continuation: Despite mass starvation, India exported over 300,000 tons of grain to Britain during the famine years, reflecting the colonial government’s indifference to domestic shortages.
• Charitable Relief Efforts: Missionaries and Indian philanthropists provided some aid, but their resources were insufficient compared to the scale of the disaster.

The famine also coincided with the Delhi Imperial Assemblage of 1877, where Queen Victoria was proclaimed Empress of India—an event criticised as deeply insensitive given the ongoing catastrophe.

Effects on Indian Society

The Great Famine left deep social, demographic, and economic scars across India:

• Mass Mortality and Migration: Entire villages were depopulated as people fled in search of food. Many died along roadsides or in overcrowded relief camps.
• Agricultural Collapse: Vast tracts of farmland were abandoned, livestock perished, and rural economies were shattered.
• Rise in Rural Indebtedness: Peasants borrowed heavily to survive, often losing their land to moneylenders.
• Public Health Crisis: Epidemics of cholera, malaria, and smallpox spread rapidly among weakened populations.
• Social Unrest and Distrust of Colonial Rule: The famine exposed the failures of British governance and fuelled resentment that later contributed to the growth of Indian nationalism.

Inquiry and Reforms

Following the catastrophe, the British government appointed the Famine Commission of 1880 under Sir Richard Strachey to investigate the causes and recommend preventive measures.
The Commission’s major recommendations included:

• Establishment of a Famine Relief Fund in each province.
• Construction of irrigation projects and railways to mitigate future droughts.
• Codification of a Famine Code detailing relief measures, such as grain distribution, employment, and medical aid.

Although these reforms introduced some improvements in famine management, they did not fundamentally address the structural inequalities of colonial land and trade systems that perpetuated poverty and food insecurity.

Economic and Environmental Dimensions

The famine highlighted the fragility of India’s agrarian economy under colonial exploitation. British emphasis on cash crops such as cotton, indigo, and opium reduced the cultivation of subsistence grains.
Additionally, environmental degradation caused by deforestation and overgrazing made rural areas more vulnerable to drought. The absence of effective irrigation systems further intensified the impact of monsoon failures.

Historiographical Perspectives

Modern historians view the Great Famine of 1876–78 not merely as a natural disaster but as a colonial famine, in which human suffering was amplified by economic and political decisions. Scholars such as Mike Davis (in Late Victorian Holocausts) argue that the famine was a direct result of British imperial policy, which placed market efficiency above human welfare.
Indian nationalists and contemporary critics described the famine as evidence of colonial neglect and exploitation, contrasting it with earlier indigenous systems that maintained grain reserves and community-based relief during droughts.