Famine Politics in Maoist China and the Soviet Union
By: Felix Wemheuer
Hardcover | 26 August 2014 | Edition Number 1
At a Glance
Hardcover
$225.75
Aims to ship in 10 to 15 business days
When will this arrive by?
Enter delivery postcode to estimate
During the twentieth century, 80 percent of all famine victims worldwide died in China and the Soviet Union. In this rigorous and thoughtful study, Felix Wemheuer analyzes the historical and political roots of these socialist-era famines, in which overambitious industrial programs endorsed by Stalin and Mao Zedong created greater disasters than those suffered under prerevolutionary regimes.
Focusing on famine as a political tool, Wemheuer systematically exposes how conflicts about food among peasants, urban populations, and the socialist state resulted in the starvation death of millions. A major contribution to Chinese and Soviet history, this provocative analysis examines the long-term effects of the great famines on the relationship between the state and its citizens and argues that the lessons governments learned from the catastrophes enabled them to overcome famine in their later decades of rule.
Industry Reviews
"The author provides the first comprehensive and systematic analysis of the impact of the two great famines created by the socialist states of the Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China. . . . This is by far the most authoritative comparative study of the two greatest famines of the twentieth century."-Peter C. Perdue, author of Exhausting the Earth and China Marches West
"Wemheuer's book is a major contribution to our understanding of China's Great Leap Famine, and a stimulating example of what comparative research on famines under state socialism can offer."-Kate Edgerton-Tarpley, San Diego State University
"This is an important, brave, and timely book. His case for different ways of assessing these man-made famines may be controversial. But it is built on plausible evidence and on cogent analysis, and defiantly demands attention."-Cormac O Grada, author of Famine: A Short History
"In this bold and innovative study of famine and 'food politics', Wemheuer is intellectually fearless, tackling big questions and bringing a welcome spirit of scholarly dispassion to current debates, while never losing sight of the awfulness of his subject."-Steve Smith, All Souls College, Oxford
"This manuscript is a major achievement. It compares two complex countries in great detail. The author analyzes in detail the strategies, tactics, and failures of the two 'Great Leaps.'"-Thomas P. Bernstein, Columbia University -- Thomas P. Bernstein
"The author provides the first comprehensive and systematic analysis of the impact of the two great famines created by the socialist states of the Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China. . . . This is by far the most authoritative comparative study of the two greatest famines of the twentieth century."-Peter C. Perdue, author of Exhausting the Earth and China Marches West -- Peter C. Perdue
"Wemheuer's book is a major contribution to our understanding of China's Great Leap Famine, and a stimulating example of what comparative research on famines under state socialism can offer."-Kate Edgerton-Tarpley, San Diego State University -- Kate Edgerton-Tarpley
"This is an important, brave, and timely book. His case for different ways of assessing these man-made famines may be controversial. But it is built on plausible evidence and on cogent analysis, and defiantly demands attention."-Cormac O Grada, author of Famine: A Short History -- Cormac O Grada
"In this bold and innovative study of famine and 'food politics', Wemheuer is intellectually fearless, tackling big questions and bringing a welcome spirit of scholarly dispassion to current debates, while never losing sight of the awfulness of his subject."-Steve Smith, All Souls College, Oxford -- Steve Smith
"Wemheuer's comparative study is a valuable reference work to recent literatures on these two famines, with the caveat that readers should be cautious about his discussion of the USSR. It is a corrective to the prevailing trend of 'intentionalist' interpretations that have acquired wide political support despite their scholarly inadequacies, and as such is an important book to read for anyone convinced of 'famine-genocide' views."-International Review of Social History * International Review of Social History *
ISBN: 9780300195811
ISBN-10: 0300195818
Series: Yale Agrarian Studies
Published: 26th August 2014
Format: Hardcover
Language: English
Number of Pages: 344
Audience: General Adult
Publisher: Yale University Press
Country of Publication: US
Edition Number: 1
Dimensions (cm): 23.6 x 16.29 x 2.77
Weight (kg): 0.6
Shipping
Standard Shipping | Express Shipping | |
---|---|---|
Metro postcodes: | $9.99 | $14.95 |
Regional postcodes: | $9.99 | $14.95 |
Rural postcodes: | $9.99 | $14.95 |
How to return your order
At Booktopia, we offer hassle-free returns in accordance with our returns policy. If you wish to return an item, please get in touch with Booktopia Customer Care.
Additional postage charges may be applicable.
Defective items
If there is a problem with any of the items received for your order then the Booktopia Customer Care team is ready to assist you.
For more info please visit our Help Centre.
You Can Find This Book In
This product is categorised by
- Non-FictionHistoryGeneral & World History
- Non-FictionHistoryRegional & National HistoryAsian History
- Non-FictionHistoryEarliest Times to Present Day20th Century History from 1900 to 2000
- Non-FictionHistoryRegional & National HistoryEuropean History
- Non-FictionSociety & CultureSocial Issues & ProcessesSocial Impact of Disasters / Accidents (Natural or Man-Made)Famine
- Non-FictionSociology & Anthropology