cause effect essay about famine

The future is equal

What is famine? Causes and effects and how to stop it

Confronting a despicable and avoidable human tragedy.

When a global report last month revealed that 300,000 families in northern Gaza are facing the threat of “imminent” famine, it was a frightening call to action. In nearly two-thirds of households, people went entire days and nights without eating at least 10 times in the last 30 days.

Wrought by conflict and violence, this hunger crisis in the making was unprecedented. “Palestinians in Gaza are enduring horrifying levels of hunger and suffering...” said Antonio Guterres, the U.N. secretary general. “This is the highest number of people facing catastrophic hunger ever recorded.”

At Oxfam, we’ve been focused on the fight to end hunger since our founding. So, we’re going to define what exactly is famine, what causes it, share an example of a famine, and explain how people like you can help stop famine in its tracks.

You can help save lives

Your contribution to Oxfam’s work will help save lives in Gaza and support long-term efforts to fight inequality and reduce poverty in more than 80 countries.

What does famine mean?

According to researchers Dan Maxwell and Nisar Majid, famine is “an extreme crisis of access to adequate food.” Visible in “widespread malnutrition” and “loss of life due to starvation and infectious disease,” famine robs people of their dignity, equality, and for some—their lives.

So how do we know a famine is occurring? The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, or IPC, is a common global scale that informs how governments and aid groups should respond when people lose reliable access to sufficient, affordable, and nutritious food. It’s a five-phase warning system to inspire urgent action before it’s too late.

For a famine to exist in a given area—Phase 5 of the acute food insecurity scale— three conditions, backed by evidence, must be met:

• 1 in 5 households faces an extreme food shortage
• More than 30 percent of children are “acutely malnourished,” a nutritional deficiency that results from inadequate energy or protein intake
• Death rates exceed two adults or four children per day for every 10,000 people

As of right now, famine has not been declared in northern Gaza. But according to the IPC, evidence supports that famine could occur anytime between now and May. By mid-July of this year, the number of people on the brink of famine in all of Gaza is expected to reach 1.1 million people.

What causes a famine?

Famines are usually caused by multiple factors. Since 2020, a deadly combination of conflict, COVID-19, and climate change has dramatically increased the number of people suffering from severe hunger. When compounded by inaction or policy decisions that make people more vulnerable, famine can result and society can collapse.

In Gaza, many challenges are putting people on the brink of famine:

• Following the attack by Palestinian armed militants on October 7, Israel’s bombardment of Gaza has resulted in widespread damage to assets and infrastructure critical for health and food production and distribution.
• Israel’s tightening of the siege on Gaza and systematic denial of humanitarian access to and within the Gaza Strip continues to impede the safe and equitable delivery of lifesaving humanitarian assistance.
• Aid workers in Gaza are being killed and are unable to safely deliver humanitarian aid, increasing the risk of famine.

Political scientist Alex de Waal calls famine a political scandal, a “catastrophic breakdown in government capacity or willingness to do what [is] known to be necessary to prevent famine.” When governments fail to prevent or end conflict —or help families prevent food shortages brought on by any reason—they fail their own people.

What is an example of a famine?

The 1984 Ethiopian famine took the lives of 1 million people , driven in part by drought, conflict, and the policy choices of national and regional authorities. Estimates suggest around 1 million people survived thanks to the delivery of humanitarian aid.

On the evening of Tuesday, October 23, 1984, NBC Nightly News aired footage taken by an Ethiopian videographer that showed scores of deceased people on stretchers that were being taken toward makeshift graveyards. Though the scenes inspired a robust international response, its nature overlooked the capacity of communities affected by the famine to help themselves.

By the next morning, Oxfam America had received over 300 calls an hour from people like you who wanted to help. During the relief effort, feeding centers provided hungry people with food rations. Makeshift hospitals supported severely dehydrated people with IVs, providing shots of tetracycline to fight infection. Oxfam delivered protein and fat-fortified biscuits to those in need that saved many lives, but some could not eat them—their mouths riddled with open sores because of dehydration.

“These scenes of death and dying in the famine camps in Ethiopia were beyond the American experience, beyond anyone’s comprehension,” recalls Bernie Beaudreau , an Oxfam staffer at the time.

Can famine be stopped?

Famine can be stopped—now, and in the long term . But governments and aid groups must anticipate a worsening hunger crisis, secure the resources and political will to address the root causes of hunger, and safely deliver humanitarian aid to those most in need.

In Gaza and countries like Somalia, Yemen, Ethiopia, and Madagascar, Oxfam is working to reduce the likelihood of famine with people like you. Here are some ways you can support Oxfam’s work:

• Stomach ailments from dirty water rob people of good nutrition from whatever food they can find, and young children are particularly vulnerable. That’s why Oxfam helps improve and repair wells to access clean water as well as trucks in water to areas where there is none.
• Good sanitation and hygiene are essential for preventing the spread of diseases like cholera, Ebola, and COVID-19. Oxfam helps construct latrines and distributes hygiene items like soap so people can wash their hands.
• When food is available in markets, but might be scarce or very expensive for some, Oxfam distributes cash to help buy food. Oxfam also distributes emergency food rations when necessary.
• In areas where farmers can plant crops, Oxfam supplies seeds, tools, and other assistance so people can grow their own food. We also help farmers raising livestock with veterinary services, animal feed, and in some cases, we distribute animals to farmers to help restock their herds .
• We help build the capacity of local organizations to respond to emergencies like famine, shifting power from international organizations to leaders rooted in local know-how. We promote the leadership of our local partners and boost their skills to reduce suffering, risks, and losses by preparing their own communities before disasters strike.
• Oxfam and our supporters advocate for peace and push for sufficient assistance for people affected by war and famine. Our research and advocacy also advance sustainable development in ways that help reduce the risk of future food crises and disasters.

Now you know what famine is

Join Oxfam to help stop famine in its tracks in Gaza right now.

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38 Causes, Effects & Solutions For Famine

“ A person who steals bread during a famine is not treated as a thief.”

Cat Stevens, Musician

Famine: Causes, Effects & Solutions

Famine can be defined as a significant food scarcity that can last for a quite long time and may have severe consequences for the local population as well as for many animals and plants.

Especially in poor developing countries, famine is a big issue since the public infrastructure is often not quite good and there is often also quite an unequal distribution of goods, which can lead to severe hunger for the majority of the local population.

In this article, the extent, causes, effects and solutions for famine are examined.

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Extent of famine.

According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, around 815 million people worldwide suffered from chronic undernourishment in 2016.

Most of the people suffering from famine live in middle or low-income countries in Africa or Asia.

Only 11 million people had been undernourished in developed countries.

Map of Famine worldwide: Data from FAO Report and WFP 2019

Causes for Famine

Unequal wealth distribution, geographic factors, gender discrimination, unemployment, global warming, population growth, food shortages, corruptive actions, political goals, excessive public debt, lack of education.

Poverty can be regarded as a main cause of famine.

In many poor developing countries, income and wealth levels are quite low.

Thus, people are often not able to earn enough money to afford appropriate housing and basic things for daily life, including sufficient food.

Therefore, especially in poor regions, people often suffer from famine simply due to a lack of money.

Another reason for famine is that wealth is often quite unequally distributed.

In some countries, the top 1% owns almost all wealth while the majority of the local population suffers from serious levels of poverty.

Thus, while the top 1% can afford almost everything they want, the remaining 99% of the population will suffer from significant levels of famine since they will often not have the money to afford enough food and drinks.

Some areas on our planet are also much more privileged than others regarding climatic conditions.

For instance, while there is plenty of water for agricultural purposes in Europe, there is often a water shortage in many countries in Africa due to the hot and dry climate.

Hence, in those regions, farmers will often suffer from low crop yields, which in turn may translate into significant levels of famine for the local population.

Making things worse, the global warming issue will further exacerbate the water shortage issue, since when the average air temperature increases, water will become an even scarcer resource and many farmers will lose their livelihood due to this.

Famine can also be caused by gender discrimination.

In many countries worldwide, women are still not regarded as equally valuable as men.

In those countries, women will often have a quite hard time since they will have it harder to find a good job and will also have disadvantages in several parts of their daily life.

In turn, women in those countries will also have a higher chance of suffering from famine since they are at greater risk to become unemployed or not to find a job that pays sufficient money in order to buy food or drinks.

Moreover, women may also be treated quite poorly by their husbands and may also suffer from famine due to that.

Another reason for famine may be unemployment .

Especially in countries with insufficient social security schemes, people are at great risk for poverty since if they become unemployed, they will not get any financial support from the government.

If these people do not have family or friends who could support them, chances are that they may suffer from significant levels of famine since without money, they are likely not able to afford food or other things for daily life.

Children who grow up without parents are at greater risk to suffer from famine compared to children who have parents that look after them.

Especially in poor countries, orphans will not have any support from grownups and may not be able to finish school. In turn, they may not find a suitable job, which may lead to significant levels of poverty and the resulting famine issue.

The use of drugs may also indirectly lead to famine.

For instance, drug addicts often spend large fractions of their money for their substances since their drugs are often their priority number one.

Therefore, if they spend too much money on drugs, they may no longer be able to afford food or other things for daily life.

Climate change may also contribute to the famine issue in several ways.

For example, if the global air temperature increases, regions that currently suffer from water shortages may suffer even more in the future.

Moreover, global warming will also increase the probability of natural disasters, which may destroy large areas of land.

In turn, the result will be vast destruction and also high levels of famine since most of the important infrastructure will be destroyed due to hurricanes, earthquakes or tsunamis.

Inflation may also contribute to the famine issue.

In countries with high levels of inflation, the local population often loses trust in the local currency.

This may end up in a state where stores will no longer accept the local currency and may only accept foreign currency.

In turn, people who only have local currency will suffer from significant levels of famine, since they will no longer be able to buy basic food due to the inflation issue.

Since our world population is growing, so does the demand for material goods, including food.

Many poor families often also have many children, since parents often regard their children as insurance for retirement when they will no longer be able to work themselves.

However, the higher the number of children, the more food parents have to supply and the higher the risk that some of the children will suffer from famine.

Moreover, since there is only a limited number of resources on our planet, population growth will exacerbate the hunger issue over time.

From time to time, especially in rural areas in poor developing countries, significant food shortages may occur.

This may be due to low crop yields caused by droughts or other natural events that have an adverse impact on the farmers’ yields.

In turn, since the local population often relies on those farmers, there will be a significant level of food shortage and famine since there will simply be not enough food to meet the demand of the local population.

In countries where corruptive activities are a big problem, famine may also be a significant issue since it often leads to a state where the minority of people own almost all of the wealth of a country while the majority of people remain poor and suffers from poverty and hunger.

Conflicts lead to all sorts of horrible events, including famine for a high number of people.

If regions are hit by large conflicts, chances are that important parts of their infrastructure may be damaged or even destroyed.

Moreover, many people will have to give up their homes, which may also lead to a loss of livelihood for them.

All this may significantly increase the likelihood of poverty and may also result in famine.

Political goals may also play a big role in the development of famine. In some countries, there are still dictatorships.

These dictators often fear losing their power if the general public gets too much freedom and wealth.

Therefore, dictators often try to keep the local population poor, which may result in significant levels of famine for a high number of people.

High public debt may also contribute to the famine issue.

Countries that suffer from high levels of public debt may often not be able to provide sufficient social security to locals since these countries simply do not have enough financial measures.

Thus, people in those countries may suffer from significant famine since in case they become unemployed, they will not get support from the government and may not be able to buy food due to that.

Many people give up their homes due to wars or other issues and try to migrate to other countries in order to find a better future.

However, they often end up in quite bad conditions since they often have no language skills and also often only have low levels of education which makes it hard for them to find a job.

Consequently, those migrants will suffer from serious levels of famine if they are not able to integrate into different cultures.

Education is key to overcome poverty and therefore to decrease the risk for famine.

If people have a high level of education, they have better job opportunities and also have the chance to move to rich developing countries where they can have a higher quality of life.

In contrast, people who lack proper education may often be trapped in poverty since they will not have the opportunity to find a good job abroad, which may turn into significant levels of famine, especially in countries with low or no social security at all.

Effects of Famine

Physical health issues, mental problems, long-term health effects, heart attacks, organ failures, weak immune system, low life expectancy, radical tendencies, low education levels, social tensions.

Famine can lead to serious physical health issues.

Our body needs certain minerals, vitamins and also calories to work properly so that we have the power to work physically and also to be able to manage several tasks of our daily life.

However, if this supply with nutrients is reduced due to famine, our body may no longer work properly and we may suffer from cramps or other health issues that might prevent us to carry out physically demanding work.

There are also plenty of mental health issues connected to famine.

Our brain can only function in a proper manner if our body gets enough nutrients.

Thus, a lack of minerals and vitamins may lead to decreased mental power.

Moreover, the chances for mental issues like dementia may also increase due to a shortage of important substances.

Famine can also cause long-term health effects.

Some organs may simply not be able to recover after an extended period of famine.

This is especially true for children since their body and brain urgently need sufficient nutrients to develop in a healthy manner.

Therefore, if children do not get enough nutrients, they may suffer from severe mental as well as physical health issues in the long run.

If famine is quite severe, it may also lead to many cases of heart attacks for the local population.

Our body is a complex system and only works properly as a whole if it gets enough vitamins, minerals and energy.

If the body is not able to get these components, chances are that also the heart may suffer since it will lose its power, which may cause heart attacks or other heart issues.

A lack of nutrients may also lead to organ failures.

At a certain point, our organs may simply no longer work properly due to a lack of vitamins and minerals.

Over time, our organs may be damaged to such an extent that organ failures may be the end result of famine.

Our immune system has to fight several bacteria over the course of our life.

For a healthy body, this is not a big task since our immune system usually is quite strong.

However, if we lack proper nutrition, chances are that our immune system may suffer and we will become more vulnerable to diseases.

This is especially true for people living in countries with significant levels of hunger and famine.

In those countries, people may not be able to get enough food to meet their nutrient demand, which may lead to a weak immune system and a higher risk for getting infected with diseases.

The overall life expectancy of people living in regions where famine is a big issue is often quite low.

The higher probability for diseases in combination with the higher chances for organ failures and heart attacks lowers the life expectancy of locals dramatically.

Moreover, their will to live may also be quite low due to their adverse living conditions, which may also contribute to a lower life expectancy .

People suffering from famine may also be more likely to join radical movements since they are frustrated or urgently need food to survive.

If those radical movements promise these people enough food and a higher level of wealth, chances are that some people may fall for it out of pure desperation.

Famine may also lead to quite low levels of education for the local population.

Since food is important for our brain to function properly, a lack of nutrients may prevent people to learn in an efficient manner.

Moreover, famine may also decrease the motivation to learn for many children since they just do not have sufficient energy to do so, which may also result in low levels of education and the resulting long-term consequences.

People who suffer from famine may also be quite frustrated.

This frustration may turn into social tensions.

This is especially true in poor neighborhoods.

If your neighbor has a high income while you are struggling to earn enough money to be able to buy food and basic things for your daily life, you may become quite envious.

This may turn into significant social tensions if the distribution of wealth is quite unequal, especially in poor developing countries.

Famine may also increase the probability of conflicts.

In some poor areas around the world, people who are struggling to get enough food to survive may literally fight over these basic resources since they have to in order to survive.

Solutions for Famine

Reduce gender discrimination, mitigate corruptive activities, redistribution of wealth, worldwide support for poor countries, corporate incentives to create jobs, reduce consumption, reduce waste, avoid delivery services.

One measure to fight famine is to reduce gender inequality.

Governments around the world have to make sure that women are treated as equally important as men so that they get similar job opportunities and all other chances in their life.

This will also mitigate the famine issue since those women will be able to get better education and therefore better jobs and may be able to escape poverty.

In countries where corruptive activities are a big problem, governments have to make sure that the level of corruptive actions is decreased so that poor people have a better chance to improve their situation and to get out of poverty and famine.

In countries where wealth is quite unequally distributed and a small minority of people own almost everything in the country, measures have to be taken in order to redistribute this wealth.

This could come in the form of higher wealth taxes or measures.

By doing so, the money that can be collected from quite wealthy people could be redistributed to poor people, which may reduce the extent of famine to a significant extent.

Countries all around the world have to cooperate in order to eradicate famine from our planet.

In fact, eradicating extreme poverty and hunger is one of the eight Millennium Development Goals of the United Nations.

Moreover, there are many other initiatives and organizations which aim to reduce famine worldwide, including the World Food Programme.

Therefore, there already is quite a lot of support for poor countries.

However, the support can also be further increased in order to reach the goal to eradicate famine even sooner than planned.

Corporations can contribute their part by creating jobs and opening branches in poor regions around the world.

By doing so, people in those regions may find better job opportunities and may therefore be able to get out of poverty, which in turn may also reduce the famine issue.

Since our consumption behavior is a significant cause for global warming and global warming contributes to famine through droughts and natural disasters, it is crucial that we reduce our consumption in order to mitigate climate change and in turn to reduce the famine problem.

Part of our global waste has to be burned, which leads to the emission of harmful greenhouse gases and in turn contributes to global warming.

Thus, by avoiding waste, everyone of us can contribute his or her part to slow down global warming and therefore to mitigate global famine.

Since delivery services of all sorts often contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and excessive waste production, you can further improve your ecological footprint by refraining from ordering online and by buying in local stores instead.

By doing so, you can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and in turn also mitigate famine.

Donations to organizations that aim to end famine can further reduce the global hunger issue.

If you want to donate, please make sure that you donate to official or other reputable organizations so you can be sure your money will be spent in an efficient manner.

Education is key to fight famine all over the globe.

Only if people are aware of the problem and know how to mitigate it, effective measures will be taken in order to reduce the famine issue.

This education should start early in school since school kids are often more willing to learn new things and to adjust their behavior.

Moreover, these children may also convince their parents, which makes it more likely that also their parents may act more environmentally-friendly .

Famine is a significant global problem, especially in poor developing countries that are often exposed to adverse climatic conditions and are frequently hit by natural disasters.

It is crucial that we take measures against the famine issue on a global scale. Everyone of us can contribute to mitigate the issue by adjusting our consumption behavior.

Moreover, governments around the world have to work together and support poor countries so that famine can be overcome.

By doing so, we can assure a better future for millions or even billions of people worldwide.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Famine

http://www.fao.org/3/I9553EN/i9553en.pdf

https://edition.cnn.com/2013/08/20/world/famine-fast-facts/index.html

https://www.worldhunger.org/world-hunger-and-poverty-facts-and-statistics/

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My name is Andreas and my mission is to educate people of all ages about our environmental problems and how everyone can make a contribution to mitigate these issues.

As I went to university and got my Master’s degree in Economics, I did plenty of research in the field of Development Economics.

After finishing university, I traveled around the world. From this time on, I wanted to make a contribution to ensure a livable future for the next generations in every part of our beautiful planet.

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Famine - Causes and Effects

Famine - introduction.

Famine is an extreme and prolonged state of hunger in a considerable proportion of masses of a country or a region that results in widespread and acute malnutrition and death by starvation or diseases due to the inadequacy of food and nutrition. Famine in a literal sense indicates extreme inadequacy and the scarcity of food and nutrition. It is a phenomenon that occurs in a vast terrestrial area due to different environmental and biological reasons. Famines may range from a few weeks to a few years in a community. The major factors that lead to famine in today’s world are population imbalance, lack of rainfall causing scarcity of freshwater, crop failure, government policies, and so on.

Conditions Leading to Famine

Famines are lurking in the community from olden times. Even in ancient times as a result of war or epidemic masses have faced famine and bore the consequences of it. It has affected populations across the world. Many famines in history have precipitated from natural causes like drought flooding, unseasonable cold, typhoons, Cyclones, vermin depredations, insect infestations, and plant diseases. However, some famines were a result of social causes like population explosion leading to food shortages that extended into malnutrition, starvation, and widespread diseases, feudal social systems, etc.

Characteristics of a Famine

A Famine is characterized by the following factors:

Severe food shortage triggered causes like conflict, drought, crop failure, demographic disequilibrium, governmental policies, and so on.

Widespread death due to diseases, starvation, and scarcity of food.

Malnutrition and other deficiency diseases plague a huge amount of the population.

Crop failure led to a nationwide scarcity of food.

Poverty with various social disorganization consequences include overcrowding, the break-up of hygiene, escalated vermin, failure to bury the deceased, and unregulated population growth and/or camp advancement that support the occurrence of epidemics and diseases.

Famines in India

India is a developing nation with its economy and population majorly dependent on agriculture. Although various advancements in the field of agriculture have improved its quality it is still primarily dependent on climatic conditions. For example- Rain during summer is crucial for the process of irrigation in agriculture. Lack of rainfall leads to a lack of proper irrigation and the failure of crops. Thus, these consequences lead to famines. Many such conditions like lack of rainfall or drought had led to several famines in India 11th to 17th Century. The most severely recorded famines in India are as follows:

The famine of 1943 in Bengal.

The famine of 1783 in Chalisa.

The famine of 1770 in Great Bengal.

Skull Famine of 1791.

The famine of 1866 in Orissa.

The famine of 1630 in Deccan.

The famine of 1873 in Deccan.

The famine of 1837 in Agra.

Widespread scarcity of food was caused as a result of these great famines. This also led to many deaths across the country. The most serious of all these famines was the famine of 1770 in Great Bengal that caused around 10 million deaths, the skull famine of 1791 caused about 11 million deaths and the Chalisa famine of 1783 also caused 11 million deaths on average.

Causes of Famines

The occurrence of famines mainly was recorded to be caused as a result of natural causes that include the after-effects of flood, cyclone, storms, or droughts due to scarcity of rainfall, earthquake, leading to crop failure and agricultural degradation. floods and earthquakes destroy crops or food storage places resulting in scarcity of food and thus leading to famine.

Human Intervention

The man-made causes of famine include lack of food due to inefficient agricultural processes, resulting in crop failure. Or, no proper storage of crops that lead to large-scale loss of harvested crops or infestation by rodents.

It is also caused by the improper distribution of food in some of the regions.

Contamination of water bodies or air hampers crop production and may also make it impossible for crops to grow in such regions.

FAQs on Famine - Causes and Effects

1. What are the Effects of Famine?

Starvation is a continuous scarcity of food among the population or the people of a specific region. Famine causes starvation on a mass scale. Famine also leads to the occurrence of diseases in the human body like cholera. Cholera is caused by a bacterium and it includes symptoms like diarrhea, abdominal cramps, dry, mucous membranes, mouth, and skin, excessive thirst, and lethargy. It causes edema of the skin which is characterized by excessive fluid under the skin and swelling of the body. Poor sanitation, contaminated food and water and crowded living conditions lead to dysentery is another bacterial disease that spreads through water, stool, and food. Anemia is also another notable condition characterized by low levels of hemoglobin. All of these and many other diseases and disorders are a result of famine. Along with these grave diseases, famines also lower fertility rates, give rise to poor living conditions, fewer income options, various socio - political issues, etc.

2. How to Prevent Famine?

It is difficult to control and impossible to eradicate famine as it is mostly caused by natural reasons, however the effects of famine can be prevented by certain measures. These include:

Encouraging surplus agricultural production beyond the requirements of the rural population.

A well-developed transportation system between urban and rural areas. Connectivity of urban and rural areas play an important role in the prevention of famine.

Ensuring proper health care, clean drinking water, and sanitation facilities for the prevention and spread of diseases.

3. What is a famine?

A famine is a period of severe food scarcity brought on by a variety of circumstances such as war, natural disasters, crop failure, population imbalance, widespread poverty, an economic calamity, or government policy. Regional hunger, starvation, epidemics, and increased mortality are generally accompanied or followed by this occurrence. Every inhabited continent on the planet has experienced starvation at some point in its history. Southeast and South Asia, as well as Eastern and Central Europe, were often classified in the 19th and 20 th centuries as having suffered the greatest number of deaths from starvation. Since the 2000s, the number of people dying from famine has steadily decreased. Since 2010, Africa has been the world's most afflicted continent.

The World Food Programme warned on November 8, 2021, that 45 million people in 43 nations were on the verge of famine. Afghanistan had surpassed Ethiopia, South Sudan, Syria, and even Yemen as the world's worst humanitarian catastrophe, with the country's demands outstripping those of the other worst-affected countries.

4. What happened during the famines in British India?

Severe famines became more common in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Millions died in 24 major famines between 1850 and 1899, more than in any other 50-year span. These famines in British India were severe enough to have a significant impact on the country's long-term population growth, particularly between 1871 and 1921. The first, the Bengal famine of 1770, is thought to have killed over a third of the region's population—roughly 10 million people.

East India Company revenues from Bengal fell to £174,300 in 1770–71 as a result of the famine. As a result, the East India Company's stock price plummeted. The corporation was compelled to take out a £1 million loan from the Bank of England in order to cover the annual military expenditure, which ranged from £60,000 to £1 million. Later attempts were made to prove that the famine had had no effect on net revenue, but this was only feasible because the collection had been "violently held up to its old standard." Between 1765 and 1858, the 1901 Famine Commission discovered twelve famines and four "serious scarcities."

5. What were the causes of famines during the British rule in India?

Uneven rainfall and British economic and administrative policies also contributed to the famines. Rack-renting, levies for war, free trade policies, the rise of export agriculture, and the neglect of agricultural investment are among the policies linked. Opium, rice, wheat, indigo, jute, and cotton exports from India were crucial to the British empire's economy, providing vital foreign cash, particularly from China, and stabilizing low grain prices in the British market. Export crops, according to Mike Davis, displaced millions of acres that could have been used for domestic subsistence, making Indians more vulnerable to food emergencies. Others argue that exports were not a major cause of the famine, claiming that commerce did have a minor stabilizing effect on India's food consumption.

One such famine was the Odisha famine of 1866–1867, which later expanded across the Madras Presidency to Hyderabad and Mysore. The famine of 1866 was a devastating episode in Odisha's history, with about a third of the population dying. The famine left 1,553 orphans, whose guardians were to receive 3 rupees each month until their children reached the age of 17 for boys and 16 for girls. The western Ganges area, Rajasthan, central India (1868–1870), Bengal and eastern India (1873–1874), Deccan (1876–78), and the Ganges region, Madras, Hyderabad, Mysore, and Bombay (1876–1878) all experienced similar famines.  The Great Famine of 1876–1878 prompted a huge movement of agricultural laborers and artisans from southern India to British tropical possessions, where they labored as indentured laborers on plantations.

6. How did the British respond to the famines in India?

The Bengal Famine of 1770 was the first big famine to occur under British control. In a ten-month period, about a quarter to a third of Bengal's population died of starvation. Even though the famine was not caused by the British colonial authority, the East India Company's tax increases coincided with and aggravated it. "Successive British governments were anxious not to add to the burden of taxation" after the famine. In 1866, the rains failed once more in Bengal and Odisha. Laissez-faire policies were implemented, and the famine in Bengal was partially alleviated.

7. How did policies influence the famines in British India?

The non-interference of the government in the grain market, even during famines, shows how Adam Smith's theories affected the British famine policy in India. Another major issue in defining famine policy was keeping famine aid as low as possible, with the least amount of expenditure to the colonial exchequer. Another possible influence on British policy on famine in India, according to Brian Murton, a geography professor at the University of Hawaii, was the English Poor Laws of 1834, with the difference that the English were willing to "maintain" the poor in England in normal times, whereas Indians would only receive subsistence when entire populations were threatened. There are parallels between the Irish famine of 1846–49 and the later Indian famines of the late nineteenth century. You can access the Vedantu app and website for free study materials.

Biology • Class 9

What is famine? How it's caused and how to stop it

Over 14 million people across Somalia , Ethiopia and Kenya —about half of them children—are on the verge of starvation. 

Hundreds of thousands of people are on the move to try and find food and water—with many not surviving the journey. In Somalia alone, over half a million people have already fled their homes since the start of 2022. Without action to help people already dying of hunger, the country could soon see mass death. 

Across East Africa, extreme hunger is on the rise. The region is entering a fifth consecutive season without enough rainfall. The drought has even surpassed the failed rains of the 2011 famine, which killed over 250,000 people. 

The situation has been steadily deteriorating for two years, despite repeated warnings. The lives of millions of people are at stake without urgent attention. More people will become displaced, more will go hungry and more will die of hunger and thirst. 

Famines are not common. So what does the declaration of a famine mean and what can we do to help?

What is famine?

A famine is declared when a certain set of conditions have been met. This criteria includes at least 30% of a given area's children suffering from severe malnutrition. That means that, by the time a famine is declared, children are already starting to die because their parents cannot give them enough food to survive. It’s already too late. 

That is why immediate action is needed in Somalia and the rest of East Africa to avoid mass deaths.

What are the main causes of famine?

Famines are caused by multiple factors including conflict and climate. A famine is not a natural disaster but a result of human actions or lack of action to prevent it. They do not happen overnight; they develop over time until they cause massive harm and suffering. 

There are many factors causing the catastrophe unfolding in East Africa. For one, the region is suffering from a La-Niña-induced drought from four consecutive failed or below-average rainy seasons. 

Droughts occur every few years in East Africa. Because of climate change, they are becoming even more frequent. These are the driest conditions with the highest temperatures in the region for more than 40 years. 

In addition, COVID-19 and the consequences of the war in Ukraine are pushing East Africa into catastrophe. Somalia, for instance, relied on Russia and Ukraine for 90% of its wheat before the war.

When is famine declared?

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification ( IPC) describes the severity of food emergencies. The five-phase scale acts as a warning system for governments and humanitarian organizations to take action.

The IPC grades a crisis in five levels, with the most severe being famine:

• Level one: Food Security
• Level two: Food Insecurity
• Level three: Acute Food and Livelihood Crisis
• Level four: Humanitarian Emergency 
• Level Five: Famine

Three conditions need to be met before it declares a level 5 famine:

1)    1 in 5 households in a certain area face extreme food shortages; and

2)    more than 30 percent of the population of a given area is acutely malnourished; and 

3)    at least two of every 10,000 people die each day. 

What happens in a famine?

Famine is more than just hunger. The effects can last a lifetime. 

Famine destroys futures.  

Malnutrition rates in Somalia have doubled since the start of the year. In Kenya, they have increased by 75 percent. Malnutrition itself is already deadly, especially in infants and young children. Children are particularly affected because they are still growing. The majority of those at risk of death are children, whether they are dying from starvation or from preventable diseases that their weakened bodies cannot fight off. 

The children who do survive will live with the consequences for the rest of their lives. Their growth will be stunted and they will be at greater risk of dying from future illnesses. They also tend to have a higher risk of having underweight or premature children, passing on these consequences to future generations.

Famine fuels violence and insecurity. 

Global threats like terrorism grow out of poverty and political and economic instability. Conflict spreads in famine areas and other places where food and resources are scarce. People are displaced from their homes and lose their means of earning a living: This lack of opportunity is fodder for terrorist recruitment. 

Famine destroys societies. 

We are at risk of losing an entire generation to starvation—children who are their communities’ best hope for a more peaceful and stable future.

 How can we stop famine? 

The international community helped avoid famine in East Africa in 2017 because it took early action. It is not doing so now. Millions of dollars are needed immediately, so the entire humanitarian response can scale up massively.

Delaying action until a famine is officially declared is morally wrong and guarantees that any response will be inadequate. Every day of delay will cause suffering to grow. Hundreds of thousands of people are already living on so little food that they are in physical pain, their children’s growth has been stunted and they are selling off all their possessions. 

Global leaders must prioritize ending the hunger crisis. Famines are always predictable and preventable. We know that getting aid into the right hands can save millions of lives. But, we also must tackle the root causes of the problem, including conflicts around the world.

What is the IRC doing?

East Africa is home to some of the IRC’s longest-running programs globally, with operations in Somalia for over 40 years, Kenya for 30 years, and Ethiopia for 20 years. Today, over 2,500 staff in the region are scaling up our programs to address the current drought and rising food insecurity, including expanding to new areas to meet needs. 

The IRC has invested heavily in resilience building in the region and urges all parties to collaborate on managing shocks such as the Ukraine crisis and COVID-19, which are compounding an already dire situation. International leaders must apply learning from the catastrophic events of 2011. 

The IRC provided assistance to Somalis through the 2011 famine and the 2016/17 drought, giving us clear insights into the risks communities face. Our water, health, nutrition and livelihoods programs reach 280,000 Somalis a year. In light of recent droughts and flooding, our efforts are focused in the South-West, Galmudug, Galgaduud, Banadir, and Puntland provinces, providing emergency relief, primary healthcare, and protecting vulnerable populations.

The IRC reaches over 3.2 million clients across the country each year through programs in environmental health, child protection, economic recovery, and women’s empowerment. In 2021, we further provided critical assistance to over 100,000 refugees and more than 500,000 Ethiopians affected by natural disasters. 

IRC teams deliver lifesaving emergency aid including health care, women’s protection, and legal rights education to refugee populations and their host communities. Our health, nutrition and conflict resolution programs in Kenya have delivered critical care to over 300,000 people a year, including nutrition support for malnourished children and supporting refugees and vulnerable Kenyans to start businesses and rebuild their lives.

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ENCYCLOPEDIC ENTRY

Famine is a widespread condition in which many people in a country or region are unable to access adequate food supplies. Famines result in malnutrition, starvation, disease, and high death rates.

Geography, Social Studies, Health, Economics, Civics

Refugees on Train to Dacca

Photo: Refugees escape places experiencing famine as they seek food security on the way to Dacca, Bangladesh.

Photograph by Steve Raymer

Famine is a widespread condition in which a large percentage of people in a country or region have little or no access to adequate food supplies. Many people believe that famines are food shortages caused solely by underproduction. However, in many cases, famine has multiple causes. A natural disaster , such as a long period of drought, flooding, extreme cold, typhoons, insect infestations , or plant disease, combined with government decisions on how to respond to the disaster, can result in a famine . The famine might be initiated by a natural disaster , and a government's inability or unwillingness to deal with the consequences of that event may magnify the effects. This happened in North Korea in the 1990s when government mismanagement of food supplies and an inequitable rationing policy led to a famine that killed over two million people by some estimates. Human events also lead to famine . A major human cause of famine is warfare. During war, crops are destroyed, either intentionally or as a result of combat. In addition, supply lines and routes are cut off, and food cannot be distributed or is prevented from being distributed by combatants. Forced starvation for political reasons is another cause of famine . In the Soviet Union of the 1930s, for example, millions of peasants died as a result of leader Joseph Stalin’s agricultural policies, which required that a quota of grain be supplied to the government before any of the grain could be consumed by those who grew it. Anyone caught violating the policy could be executed. Europe and other developed parts of the world have mostly eliminated famine , though in earlier history, particularly the Middle Ages, some European countries experienced widespread famines that killed thousands, possibly even millions of people. Today, famine is most common in African countries. In 2011, for example, widespread famine began in the African nation of Somalia. More than 250,000 people died as a result. In 2017, the United Nations officially declared a famine in parts of South Sudan, where a civil war had begun in 2013. A major way to prevent famine is by supporting humanitarian relief efforts. In addition, many groups support the funding of programs to help local communities survive times of drought and other causes of food scarcity.

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Famine: Causes and Cures

Food shortages and famine, like so many other devastating world conditions, are increasingly recognized as the direct or indirect result of human misdeeds. Can we also engineer the solution?

T he Bengal famine of 1943 cost the lives of at least 3 million people. In the Soviet Union’s multiyear famines beginning in 1921, 1931 and 1946, it’s estimated that as many as 19 million died. The famine in China from 1959 to 1961 resulted in around 30 million deaths. In the 20 th century, worldwide famine mortality amounted to more than 100 million. Of course, a devastating lack of food is not a modern phenomenon; one of the earliest recorded, in Egypt in 3500 BCE, survives visually on a relief on the causeway of the fifth-dynasty Pyramid of Unas.

It would be simple to explain all of these and the many other famines throughout history as the natural result of an imbalance between population and food supply . As one ancient source of wisdom, the biblical book of Ecclesiastes (5:11), states, “when goods increase, they increase who eat them.” So when the available food supply dwindles, those extra mouths compete for the limited resources.

Thomas Robert Malthus hinted that there might be more to it when he wrote in 1803: “Though the principle of population cannot absolutely produce a famine, it prepares the way for one in the most complete manner; and, by obliging all the lower classes of people to subsist nearly on the smallest quantity of food that will support life, turns even a slight deficiency from the failure of the seasons into a severe dearth; and may be fairly said, therefore, to be one of the principal causes of famine.”

What, then, are the others? In 1945 the Famine Inquiry Commission produced a report on the Bengal famine. Its findings on the exact causes have been much debated ever since. They have been variously identified as cyclone; brown spot disease; not being able to import rice from Burma, where a war was being fought; war-induced hoarding; the “boat denial policy” to prevent a Japanese invasion; the incompetence of local politicians; and the colonial power prioritizing food supplies for the war effort. Notably Amartya Sen, Nobel Prize winner, has argued that the main cause was not a lack of food per se but rather that market forces, hyperinflation caused by the war boom, and overprinting currency to finance the war put the price of rice beyond the reach of the poor. And so the debate continues. Joel K. Bourne Jr., agronomist-turned-journalist and National Geographic contributing writer, stated: “It now seems relatively clear that a true Malthusian dearth of food and inept government policies conspired to create the Bengal famine of 1943.”

“ The Bengal famine proved to be a watershed event both in the response to famines and in overall world food supplies.” Joel K. Bourne Jr., The End of Plenty: The Race to Feed a Crowded World

The causes of famine vary from place to place and from time to time. Climate and natural disasters have a role in reducing crop yields, as do plant pests and diseases. Population growth places obvious strains on the system, and market forces can act to interfere with supply and affordability. Human agency can further exacerbate these factors: corruption; hoarding and profiteering; poor decision-making; bad policies; and failure to create the infrastructure to facilitate equitable distribution in times of need—all play their part. But humanity’s role in causing or prolonging famine does not stop there.

Cormac Ó Gráda, professor of economics at Dublin University, argues that in the past famines were often caused by harvest failure, but that in the 20 th century they were more often caused by war and ideology: “Several of the past century’s major famines would have been less deadly—or might not have occurred at all—under more peaceful or stable political circumstances.”

In modern times, diverting food to provide for an army, such as in the Bengal famine, and naval blockades, as happened to Germany during World War I, are examples of deliberately restricting supply. In earlier centuries it was often the case that an army would cause food shortages and famines, living off the land and depleting local reserves; pillaging and destroying growing crops before moving on. Further, by laying siege to a town, a localized famine could occur, often killing more people than died in resisting the siege.

Old Problems, New Challenges

Are such scenarios now simply part of history? Can we avert further food shortages and famines , especially on the scales previously seen? Malthus never foresaw the industrial revolution and subsequent boom in world trade and development. Neither did neo-Malthusians foresee the green revolution. In relation to wheat yields, as a result of the introduction of new seed strains and greater agrochemical and irrigation inputs in the mid-20 th century, Bourne writes: “It took a thousand years for farmers to increase wheat yields from half a metric ton per hectare to 2 metric tons. . . . It took only 40 years to increase those 2 tons to 6.”

Apart from the impacts of wars and civil uprisings, Ó Gráda feels that, “given goodwill on all sides,” famine can be prevented relatively straightforwardly. Greater global GDP, reduced transport costs, better communication and infrastructure for distribution, ubiquitous aid agencies and greater medical knowledge—all are cited as potentially helpful in making famine a thing of the past.

Of course, there are new challenges. Global warming and adverse weather events may result in a reduced land mass suitable for growing crops as climate-change impacts kick in. Then there are the pressures on land availability due to soil erosion, desertification and urban sprawl. Water scarcity is also a factor, as irrigation necessary for growing many crops drains aquifers and other water sources, reducing the water table in many major growing areas. More land is needed for growing crops to turn into biofuels. Likewise, as the world grows richer, more land is needed to grow feed for livestock to meet the increased demand for meat consumption. The involvement of investors and speculators in global commodity markets in these scenarios adds another dimension that affects demand and prices. Compounding the challenge, the world population is predicted to grow from around 7.3 billion currently to more than 9 billion by 2050. Bourne quotes 2009 World Food Prize winner Gebisa Ejeta, who says that to meet these challenges “we’ll have to learn to produce as much food in the next four decades as we have since the beginning of civilization.”

Bourne himself says that “producing food for more than 9 billion people without destroying the soil, water, oceans, and climate will be by far the greatest challenge humanity has ever faced.”

“ Unless we put forth a global effort to change our trajectory, [the] primal elements that have enabled our species to flourish and dominate the planet will not sustain us much longer.” Joel K. Bourne Jr., The End of Plenty: The Race to Feed a Crowded World

Can we rise to this challenge? Will the Blue Revolution save us as we greatly expand aquaculture and also farm the seas as we do the land? Will genetic modification and new technologies enable us to grow higher-yielding, more disease-resistant crops that can flourish in a changing climate? Will we look back and wonder what all this fuss was about?

Let’s put things in perspective. According to the World Food Programme, there is currently enough food to feed the world’s population. And yet without all the additional pressures and challenges, some 795 million people in the world do not have enough food to lead a healthy, active life—about 1 in 9 people on earth. Poor nutrition causes the deaths of 3.1 million children under five each year, and around 100 million children in developing countries are underweight. Clearly all is not well, and it is from this precarious position that we face an uncertain future.

“ The Only Hope”?

The November 2015 issue of National Geographic (dubbed “The Climate Issue”) includes an article titled “To Take Earth’s Pulse, You Have to Fly High.” It highlights the various new technologies that are helping measure and monitor the state of health of our planet’s various ecosystems such as land, forests and water. The article concludes by saying, “We humans and our technology are the only hope for curing what we’ve caused.”

While it’s good to take responsibility for our actions and do whatever we can to rectify adverse situations, there is a fine line between this and adopting an attitude of self-sufficiency. “We can fix it” has become a common refrain. Bourne ends his book by referring to the biblical account of Jonah, whom God sent to warn the inhabitants of Nineveh of impending disaster unless they changed their ways. By this we are meant to infer that we need to change the way we grow food, manufacture, consume, and relate to our natural environment. This is certainly true, but while Bourne uses the biblical account merely as an allegory, the true message of Jonah’s warning was that a fundamental change in human nature had to take place. The people had to repent of their violent and evil ways and humbly submit to God.

This is the consistent message God has given humanity throughout several millennia. In speaking to His chosen people Israel, He offered conditional blessings: “Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country. Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks. Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. . . . The L ord will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, . . . if you keep the commandments of the L ord your God and walk in His ways” (Deuteronomy 28:1–9, emphasis added; see also verses 10–14).

Ultimately Israel failed to do as God required of them and so reaped the opposite consequences. This has largely been the continuing human story: going our own way, making our own mistakes, and attempting our own fixes. Fortunately God has a plan to rescue humanity from itself. His direct intervention in human affairs will result in a future time of agricultural plenty: “‘Behold, the days are coming,’ says the L ord , ‘when the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him who sows seed; the mountains shall drip with sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it’” (Amos 9:13).

A time of sufficient food and drink for all is ahead. Until then, how much we have to endure depends on the mistakes we make and how long we continue to try to fix them using the same faulty human logic that caused them in the first place. The creation, of which we are part, needs to be reconciled to its Creator. Only then will a time of plenty and abundance for all be a reality.

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137 Intriguing Cause & Effect Essay Topics for Students

Teach critical thinking, logic, and the art of persuasion.

Cause-and-effect essays aren’t just a way to help students strengthen their writing skills. They’ll also learn critical thinking, logic, and the art of persuasion. In addition, they teach students to demonstrate how one thing directly influences another. Coming up with engaging cause-and-effect essay topics can be challenging, but we have you covered. This list of ideas includes a variety of topics that range from social and cultural movements to mental health and the environment.

Science and Environment Cause & Effect Essay Topics

• Describe the effect of urbanization on the environment.
• What is the impact of air pollution on health?
• What are the causes and consequences of plastics on marine life?
• What is the impact of rising sea temperatures on fish and marine life?
• Describe the impact of human behavior on global warming.

• What is the effect of social media on environmentalism?
• What causes volcanic eruptions?
• What causes trees to die?
• What are the effects of gravity?
• Why are plants green?
• Why do trees shed their leaves?
• What causes a species to become endangered?
• What are some of the causes of animals losing their habitats?
• Describe the effect of overpopulation on the environment.
• What are the effects of famine on human population?
• What are the causes and effects of Antarctica floods?
• What are the effects of pollution on the ocean?
• What effect do cars have on the environment?
• Why is it important to manage wildfires?
• What has been the impact of DNA on crime scene processing?

• What are the impacts of deforestation in Brazil?
• What are the effects of GMO foods on human health?
• What are the impacts of immunizations on human health?

Technology and Social Media Cause & Effect Essay Topics

• What are the effects of social media on adolescent development?
• How does technology affect productivity?
• What are the effects of video games on childhood development?
• How do cell phones affect human relationships?
• What are some reasons a teacher might ban cell phones from class?

• What effects do cell phones have on sleep?
• What effects did the invention of the Internet have on technology?
• What were the origins of cyberbullying?
• What are the effects of tablet use on small children?
• How has online dating changed relationships?
• What makes some people less likely to use social media?
• What are the effects of social media on privacy?
• How does the rise of TikTok affect Facebook and Instagram?
• In what ways could social media lead to extremism?
• What is the impact of social media on the increasing popularity of plastic surgery and other enhancements?

• What are some of the benefits of owning a smartphone and what are some of the drawbacks?
• What has been the impact of online shopping on brick-and-mortar stores?
• What has been the impact of smartphones on marriages and relationships?
• What are the causes and effects of texting while driving?
• What has the rise of “influencers” meant for Hollywood?
• In what ways have photo filters influenced young people’s self-esteem?

Culture and Social Issues Cause & Effect Essay Topics

• What are some of the reasons for substance abuse in young people?
• What are some of the effects of bullying?
• How does economic status affect the quality of health care?
• What are some of the causes of homelessness?
• Explain the effects of ignorance on discrimination.
• What are the impacts of death sentences on social justice?

• How does financial success affect societal privilege?
• What effects does growing up poor have on children?
• In what ways does religion influence society?
• What are the effects of immigration on a host country?
• What are the effects of ageism on job opportunities?
• What is the impact of LGBTQ+ representation in TV and movies?
• What are the effects of school shootings on politics?
• How do school uniforms affect students?
• What are the impacts of high student debt?
• What are the impacts of body shaming on people?
• What were the lasting impacts of the AIDS epidemic on society?

• What impact does banning abortion have in the United States?
• What has been the impact of marriage equality in the United States?
• What are the causes and effects of noise pollution?
• What are the causes and effects of inflation on the economy?
• What are the effects of TV shows on our behavior?

Sports Cause & Effect Essay Topics

• Examine the effects of exercise on mental health.
• What led to baseball being an iconic American sport?
• What drives people to participate in extreme sports?
• In what ways did globalization affect modern sports?
• What were the effects of doping on amateur and professional sports?
• Select a sport and write about the historical factors that led to the popularization of that sport.

• Describe the ways in which youth sports influence a child’s development.
• What were the driving forces behind the first Olympics?
• How can team sports help develop social skills?
• How have e-sports changed the sporting landscape?
• In what ways do race biases influence sports?

• What are the effects of regular workouts on immunity?
• How does participating in sports affect leadership skills?
• In what ways can sports lead to character development?
• What effect does famous athletes’ social commentary have on their fans?

History Cause & Effect Essay Topics

• What are the effects of the war in Syria on the United States?
• What have been the lasting effects of the Civil Rights Movement?
• What were the causes and effects of the attack on Pearl Harbor?
• What led up to the Berlin Wall being torn down and what effects did that have?

• What lasting impact did 9/11 have on modern American society?
• What were the causes of the Salem Witch Trials?
• What was the cultural impact of the Spanish-American War?
• How has globalization led to modern-day slavery?
• What events led to the fall of the Roman Empire?
• What were the impacts of the Great Depression on women’s employment?
• How did cartels come into existence? What effect have they had on the United States and Mexico?
• What were the causes and effects of the Women’s Liberation Movement?
• Give an example of colonialism in history and name the resulting impact to the affected society.

• What led to the rise of ISIS and what has the impact been on international security?
• What factors led to the Titanic’s sinking?
• What were the causes and effects of the Vietnam War?
• Choose an American president. What led him to become president and what were the effects of his presidency?

Mental Health Cause & Effect Essay Topics

• How can stress affect the immune system?
• How does social anxiety affect young people?
• How can high academic expectations lead to depression?
• What are the effects of divorce on young people?
• How does service in the armed forces lead to post-traumatic stress disorder?

• What are the effects of mindfulness on mental health?
• Describe the ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted mental health.
• How does childhood trauma impact childhood development?
• What impact does witnessing violence have on mental health?
• What is behind increasingly high levels of anxiety in modern American society?

• What are the causes and effects of panic attacks?
• What are the causes and consequences of high stress in the workplace?
• What are some of the causes of insomnia and in what ways does it affect mental health?
• What is the impact of staying home for an extended period of time?

Current Events Cause & Effect Essay Topics

• Choose a local public education campaign. What are the effects of that campaign?
• What are the causes and effects of migration?
• What are the causes and effects of terrorist attacks?

• What are the effects of legalizing genetic engineering research?
• How do low voting rates impact elections and government?
• What is the effect of raising the minimum wage?
• What are the effects of globalization on society?
• How does gerrymandering affect election outcomes?
• What are the causes and effects of police brutality?
• What are the causes and effects of political polarization?

• What are the causes and effects of fake news?
• What are the effects of global war on citizens?
• What is the effect of international aid on poverty or health?
• Why do some countries have nuclear weapons, and what does this mean for other countries?

Education Cause & Effect Essay Topics

• What are the effects of teacher quality on student success?
• What are the causes and effects of student loan debt?
• What are the causes and effects of low graduation rates?

• What are the effects of assigning homework?
• What are the causes and effects of school funding disparities?
• What are the causes and effects of the digital divide in education?
• What is the effect of AI on education?
• What are the causes and effects of student burnout?
• Should students be required to study a foreign language in school, and what are the effects of learning a foreign language?

• What effect has the COVID pandemic had on education?
• What are the effects of same-sex classrooms or schools?

What are your best cause-and-effect essay topics for students? Come exchange ideas in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

Plus, check out our list of interesting persuasive essay topics for kids and teens..

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The World Problem: Famine

Famine is a global problem affected developing countries. The main causes of famine are low income and low developed economies. It is known that among the developed countries, increases in per-capita food production since the 1950s have generally moved upward in tandem with increases in total food production. Among the developing countries, per-capita food production has generally lagged behind.

Moreover, even in countries of the South where the Green Revolution has produced spectacular production gains, the distribution of its rewards has often been quite uneven (Fluehr-Lobban and Lobban 6). Recent decades the problem of famine has been examined more as a result of overpopulation than a crisis of entitlement.

Such authors as P. R Ehrlich and Mike Davis pay a special attention to the problem of overpopulation and its impact on famine. Researchers claim that population growth has a great influence on food shortage. Famine affects countries with the high average population growth rate.

They prove the fact that famine affects many countries with high average population growth rate. Countries on African continent belong to less developed countries which resulted in economic and social disasters influenced native population. The statistical date gives the facts that in Africa most people are seriously affected by famine and different diseases.

Researchers examine the general impact of overpopulation on the planet statistics. According to statistical results, every day 86,400 persons die because of famine. “On average, 62 million people die each year, of whom probably 36 million (58 per cent) directly or indirectly as a result of nutritional deficiencies, infections, epidemics or diseases which attack the body when its resistance and immunity have been weakened by undernourishment and hunger” (Ziegler 2001, p. 5).

The researchers explain that the environmental toll of population growth and rising affluence seemingly binds humanity in a common fate, but, as the tragedy of the commons suggests, countries do not share the costs and benefits associated with the exploitation equally. For instance, Sudan is one of the countries populations of which died of widespread famine and destitution (Alemu 279).

The latest US estimate says up to 1.2 million people now face starvation in the south of the country – many more than previously thought. The dramatic increase has prompted the humanitarian aid to call for an unprecedented relief operation to target those most at risk in several areas it describes as famine zones (Ziegler 7, See Appendix Table 1).

Famine is a direct result of the decreased world’s food particularly impressive after World War II. In the thirty-five years from 1950 to 1985, world grain harvests increased from less than 750 million tons to 1.7 billion tons.

Even though the world experienced unprecedented population growth during this period, the growth in food production was so spectacular that it permitted a 25 percent increase in per-capita food supplies and a corresponding increase in meeting minimum nutritional standards.

Primarily, these studies concern European countries and the USA but do not take into account Asian and African countries where population growth has a direct impact on famine (Ziegler 7).

As a generalization, population growth accounts for the difference between total and per-capita production of food in developed and developing countries. Africa stands in stark contrast. It was predicted that the population growth would outstrip food production appear more apt than here.

During the 1970s, Africa’s food production increased by only 1.8 percent annually, but its population grew at a rate of 2.8 percent. Starvation and death became daily occurrences in broad stretches of the Sahel, ranging from Ethiopia in the east to Mauritania in the west.

The situation was repeated a decade later when, in Ethiopia in particular, world consciousness was awakened by the tragic specter of tens of thousands suffering from malnutrition and dying of famine at a time of unprecedented food surpluses worldwide.

As population growth has moved hand in hand with desecration of the environment, sub-Saharan Africa has experienced the tragedy of the commons in all of its most remorseless manifestations (David 32; Alemu 279; See Appendix Table 2, 3).

It should be mentioned that the problem of famine as a crisis of entitlement was also examined. Such researchers as David (31) tried to prove that famine has social roots and does nothing with overpopulation. It is possible to agree that soil erosion, desertification, and deforestation are worldwide phenomena, but they are often most acute where population growth and poverty are most evident.

The search for fuelwood is a major source of deforestation and a primary occupation in developing countries (Ziegler 5). Deforestation and soil erosion also occur when growing populations without access to farmland push cultivation into hillsides and tropical forests ill-suited to farming.

It is possible to say that the problem of famine as a result of overpopulation is better examined from the historical perspective as well. Historians pay a special attention to the rate of population and food consumption.

As trends in births, deaths, and migration unfold worldwide into the twenty-first century, demographic changes will promote changes in world politics. At issue is how these trends will affect traditional national security considerations, economic development opportunities, and the prospects for achieving global food security (Ehrlich 98).

Many researchers (Davis, 12; Ehrlich, 211) stress the adverse effects of population growth on economic devel­opment. What they often ignore, however, is that the world has enjoyed unprece­dented levels of economic growth and unparalleled population increases simultane­ously.

Even those countries with the highest rates of population increase are arguably better off economically today than they were at the dawn of the twentieth century.

Declining infant mortality and rising life expectancy coincide with improved living standards throughout the world, even if, ironically, these are the very forces that drive population growth. Some researchers examine the role of politics in famine (Healey 101). Nevertheless, this problems is less examined in comparison with population growth and its impact on food shortage.

Studies state that population growth contributes to the widening income gap between the world’s rich and poor. It also contributes to lower standards of living for many, as poor people tend to have more children to support than do those who are relatively better off. Furthermore, by depressing wage rates relative to rents and returns to capital. (Osborn 87).

Any of the agricultural products produced in developing countries (such as sugar, tea, coffee, and cocoa) are exported abroad, where they are dietary supplements (with little nutritional value) for the world’s rich.

The problem of overpopulation is possible to illustrate by the fact that there is only about one working-age adult for each child under fifteen in the Third World. It also encourages the immediate consumption of economic resources rather than their reinvestment in social infrastructure to promote future economic growth.

Kenya knows famine. Recorded first in 1884, thereafter in 1928, 1944, 1949, 1981, 1984 and 1997. Each of these years has been severe for our citizens, necessitating the uncertainties and indignity of international food aid. In 1997, close to 5 million tonnes of maize were imported into Kenya. Between 1993 and 1995, maize, wheat, sorghum, millet, rice, beans, beef and milk recorded shortfalls in supply.

Although population growth was, and continues to be, an important factor, a scarcity of pest-free storage facilities, the incidence of crop diseases and the vagaries of weather worsened the level of shortages. The trend will not be easy to reverse. Ireland knew famine.

In the 1850s nearly 1 million emigrated to America. That is not open to Kenyans today—they will not let us in, neither will Europe. Nor would we wish to go. We simply want to be able to eat. It would help if the North ate less and used less energy when they did (Ziegler 8).

To conclude, famine is a complex problem which effects world’s society from ancient time. Researchers point out different causes of this problem, but the problem of famine as a result of overpopulation is better examined. A lot of researchers mention political and social factors but they do not provide deep analysis of these problems and their direct impact on famine around the world.

Excessive population growth doubtless strains the environment and contributes to destruction of the global commons, but excessive consumption is even more damaging. In this respect it is not the South’s disadvantaged four-fifths of humanity who place the greatest strains on the global habitat but the affluent one-fifth in the consumption-oriented North.

Differential fertility rates among various ethnic populations will also have internal and international consequences (Ehrlich 38). In Israel, for example, the Jewish population may one day become the minority, as fertility rates among Arabs and Palestinians within Israel’s borders outstrip those of Israel’s Jews.

Analogous trends are already evident in South Africa, where the white population is expected by the year 2020 to comprise only one-ninth to one-eleventh of the total population compared with the one-fifth it accounted for in the early 1950s.

Works Cited

Alemu, Tadesse “Nutritional Assessment of Two Famine Prone Ethiopian Communities”, Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health , 51 (1997), p. 278-282.

David, A. Famine and the Crisis of Social Order . Blackwell Publishers, 1998.

Ehrlich, P. R. The population bomb . New York: Ballantine Books, 1971.

Fluehr-Lobban, C. and R. Lobban “The Sudan Since 1989: National Islamic Front.” Arab Studies Quarterly 23 (2001), 1-9.

Healey, J. (ed) Foreign Aid and World Debt . The spinney Press, 2000.

Osborn, F. Our Crowded planet . Greenwood Press Reprint, 1998.

Ziegler, J. The Right to Food. 2001.

Cite this paper

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StudyCorgi. (2020, January 13). The World Problem: Famine. https://studycorgi.com/the-world-problem-famine/

"The World Problem: Famine." StudyCorgi , 13 Jan. 2020, studycorgi.com/the-world-problem-famine/.

StudyCorgi . (2020) 'The World Problem: Famine'. 13 January.

1. StudyCorgi . "The World Problem: Famine." January 13, 2020. https://studycorgi.com/the-world-problem-famine/.

Bibliography

StudyCorgi . "The World Problem: Famine." January 13, 2020. https://studycorgi.com/the-world-problem-famine/.

StudyCorgi . 2020. "The World Problem: Famine." January 13, 2020. https://studycorgi.com/the-world-problem-famine/.

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Cause And Effect Essay Guide

Cause And Effect Essay Examples

Best Cause and Effect Essay Examples To Get Inspiration + Simple Tips

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How To Write A Cause and Effect Essay - Outline & Examples

230+ Cause and Effect Essay Topics to Boost Your Academic Writing

How to Create a Cause and Effect Outline - An Easy Guide

You need to write a cause and effect essay for your assignment. Well, where should you start?

Establishing a relationship between causes and effects is no simple task. You need to ensure logical connections between variables with credible evidence.

However, don't get overwhelmed by the sound of it. You can start by reading some great cause and effect essay examples. 

In this blog, you can read cause and effect essays to get inspiration and learn how to write them. With these resources, you'll be able to start writing an awesome cause and effect paper.

Let’s dive in!

• 1. What is a Cause and Effect Essay?
• 2. Cause and Effect Essay Examples for Students
• 3. Free Cause and Effect Essay Samples
• 4. Cause and Effect Essay Topics
• 5. Tips For Writing a Good Cause and Effect Essay

What is a Cause and Effect Essay?

A cause and effect essay explores why things happen (causes) and what happens as a result (effects). This type of essay aims to uncover the connections between events, actions, or phenomena. It helps readers understand the reasons behind certain outcomes.

In a cause and effect essay, you typically:

• Identify the Cause: Explain the event or action that initiates a chain of events. This is the "cause."
• Discuss the Effect: Describe the consequences or outcomes resulting from the cause.
• Analyze the Relationship: Clarify how the cause leads to the effect, showing the cause-and-effect link.

Cause and effect essays are common in various academic disciplines. For instance, studies in sciences, history, and the social sciences rely on essential cause and effect questions. For instance, "what are the effects of climate change?", or "what are the causes of poverty?"

Now that you know what a cause and effect is, let’s read some examples.

Cause and Effect Essay Examples for Students

Here is an example of a well-written cause and effect essay on social media. Let’s analyze it in parts to learn why it is good and how you can write an effective essay yourself. 

The essay begins with a compelling hook that grabs the reader's attention. It presents a brief overview of the topic clearly and concisely. The introduction covers the issue and ends with a strong thesis statement , stating the essay's main argument – that excessive use of social media can negatively impact mental health.

The first body paragraph sets the stage by discussing the first cause - excessive social media use. It provides data and statistics to support the claim, which makes the argument more compelling. The analysis highlights the addictive nature of social media and its impact on users. This clear and evidence-based explanation prepares the reader for the cause-and-effect relationship to be discussed.

The second body paragraph effectively explores the effect of excessive social media use, which is increased anxiety and depression. It provides a clear cause-and-effect relationship, with studies backing the claims. The paragraph is well-structured and uses relatable examples, making the argument more persuasive. 

The third body paragraph effectively introduces the second cause, which is social comparison and FOMO. It explains the concept clearly and provides relatable examples. It points out the relevance of this cause in the context of social media's impact on mental health, preparing the reader for the subsequent effect to be discussed.

The fourth body paragraph effectively explores the second effect of social comparison and FOMO, which is isolation and decreased self-esteem. It provides real-world consequences and uses relatable examples. 

The conclusion effectively summarizes the key points discussed in the essay. It restates the thesis statement and offers practical solutions, demonstrating a well-rounded understanding of the topic. The analysis emphasizes the significance of the conclusion in leaving the reader with a call to action or reflection on the essay's central theme.

This essay follows this clear cause and effect essay structure to convey the message effectively:

Read our cause and effect essay outline blog to learn more about how to structure your cause and effect essay effectively.

Free Cause and Effect Essay Samples

The analysis of the essay above is a good start to understanding how the paragraphs in a cause and effect essay are structured. You can read and analyze more examples below to improve your understanding.

Cause and Effect Essay Elementary School

Cause and Effect Essay For College Students

Short Cause and Effect Essay Sample

Cause and Effect Essay Example for High School

Cause And Effect Essay IELTS

Bullying Cause and Effect Essay Example

Cause and Effect Essay Smoking

Cause and Effect Essay Topics

Wondering which topic to write your essay on? Here is a list of cause and effect essay topic ideas to help you out.

• The Effects of Social Media on Real Social Networks
• The Causes And Effects of Cyberbullying
• The Causes And Effects of Global Warming
• The Causes And Effects of WW2
• The Causes And Effects of Racism
• The Causes And Effects of Homelessness
• The Causes and Effects of Parental Divorce on Children.
• The Causes and Effects of Drug Addiction
• The Impact of Technology on Education
• The Causes and Consequences of Income Inequality

Need more topics? Check out our list of 150+ cause and effect essay topics to get more interesting ideas.

Tips For Writing a Good Cause and Effect Essay

Reading and following the examples above can help you write a good essay. However, you can make your essay even better by following these tips.

• Choose a Clear and Manageable Topic: Select a topic that you can explore thoroughly within the essay's word limit. A narrowly defined topic will make it easier to establish cause-and-effect relationships.
• Research and Gather Evidence: Gather relevant data, statistics, examples, and expert opinions to support your arguments. Strong evidence enhances the credibility of your essay.
• Outline Your Essay: Create a structured outline that outlines the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. This will provide a clear roadmap for your essay and help you present causes and effects clearly and coherently.
• Transitional Phrases: Use transitional words and phrases like "because," "due to," "as a result," "consequently," and "therefore" to connect causes and effects within your sentences and paragraphs.
• Support Each Point: Dedicate a separate paragraph to each cause and effect. Provide in-depth explanations, examples, and evidence for each point.
• Proofread and Edit: After completing the initial draft, carefully proofread your essay for grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors. Additionally, review the content for clarity, coherence, and flow.
• Peer Review: Seek feedback from a peer or someone familiar with the topic to gain an outside perspective. They can help identify any areas that need improvement.
• Stay Focused: Avoid going off-topic or including irrelevant information. Stick to the causes and effects you've outlined in your thesis statement.
• Revise as Needed: Don't hesitate to make revisions and improvements as needed. The process of revising and refining your essay is essential for producing a high-quality final product. 

To Sum Up , 

Cause and effect essays are important for comprehending the intricate relationships that shape our world. With the help of the examples and tips above, you can confidently get started on your essay. 

If you still need further help, you can hire a professional writer to help you out. At MyPerfectWords.com , we’ve got experienced and qualified essay writers who can help you write an excellent essay on any topic and for all academic levels.

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7: Cause-and-Effect Essay

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• Lumen Learning
• 7.1: Introduction to Cause-and-Effect Essay
• 7.2: “Cultural Baggage” by Barbara Ehrenreich
• 7.3: “Women in Science” by K.C. Cole
• 7.4: Writing for Success- Cause and Effect
• 7.5: Student Sample- Cause-and-Effect Essay

Irish Potato Famine Essay

Introduction, causes of the irish potato famine, implications of the irish potato famine, works cited.

Irish potato famine is one of the most talked about historical events across the world. The famine was characterised by mass starvation, death and emigration of Irish population (Donnelly 7). According to the Irish people, the famine was the worst in their history in terms of scale, duration and effects (Donnelly 8).

Despite all the pain and suffering that people underwent, no important lessons were learnt from the effects of the famine. Today, almost two centuries after the famine, similar famines are still being experienced in different parts of the world (Ross 7). To compare the Irish potato famine with the modern day famines, this paper analyses the causes and severity of the effects in both cases. The paper asserts that famines come as a result of negligence.

Irish potato famine was experienced between 1845 and 1849 (Ross 7). According to Ross (7), the famine was caused by too much reliance on potato crop by a section of the Irish population. Ross observes that potato farming was cheap in terms of maintenance and storage (8). In addition, the crop had the ability to yield high nutrition per given surface of land (Ross 8). In this regard, potato crop was the only viable business for Irish people because they had no access to large tracts of land.

Ross also notes that most of the land used by Irish people for farming was owned and poorly managed by British landlords (9). Furthermore, the Irish population had substantially increased prior to the famine. As a result, land was subdivided into small portions that could not support meaningful Agricultural activities (Ross 10-11). The resulting over-reliance on potato crop meant that any dangers that threatened the crop also threatened the lives of the Irish people.

As widely feared, the coming of Potato blight in 1945 destroyed the crop and left more than 33% of the population exposed to starvation (Ritschel 18). According to Ritschel (19), the crop was destroyed at the time when the British government had put in place a policy to discourage citizens from relying on food aid. As a result, the British government did not make any efforts to ensure that the affected population accessed food.

Like many of the famines experienced today, Irish potato famine only affected a section of the population (Ritschel 20). Ireland was still exporting other forms of food at the time when peasant farmers and labourers were facing starvation (Ritschel 20). Large land owners who grew grains and kept livestock were still harvesting and exporting excess food (Ritschel 21).

Although the British government’s failure to intervene may be attributed to the need to discourage people from relying on food aid , it was still the responsibility of the government to shield its citizens from such vulnerabilities (Ritschel 21). The famine could have been averted if the government had put in place policies that discourage subdivision of land beyond certain sizes. In addition, the government should have put in place measures to protect tenants against possible abuse by their landlords.

After failing to put in place the required policies, it would have been appropriate for the government to move with speed and mitigate the situation by facilitating distribution of food to the affected families. Instead, the British government only watched as hunger threatened to wipe out the entire Irish population.

There is no doubt that the world did not draw important lessons from the Irish potato famine. Although modern famines may be different in a number of aspects, most of them share similarities with the Irish potato famine.

In most of the developing countries, some people live in high levels of poverty characterised by malnutrition, diseases and high rates of mortality among children and pregnant women (Ross 13). On the other hand, Ross (13) notes that the rich live affluent lives in posh estates. Ross (14) points out that in Africa , richest people come from countries with the highest rates of poverty.

Like the Irish potato famine in 1840s, the big gaps between the rich and the poor are attributed to poor policies that cannot facilitate fair distribution of resources among citizens (Ross 14). Poor people are denied access to factors of production which are thoroughly exploited and abused by the rich (Ross 15). According to Ross (17), those living in poverty have no option but to depend on humanitarian interventions which are already over-stretched.

This indicates that very few lessons were drawn from the Irish potato famine. As Ross (17) notes, it should be easier to distribute resources among citizens today than during the time of Irish potato famine due to massive improvements in communication technology. The persistent high rates of poverty should, therefore, be attributed to efforts by the rich to maintain status quo (Ross 18).

Irish potato famine had a lot of implications to the Irish people and the world at large. To begin with, 11% of the population lost their lives due to direct starvation and diseases that manifested as a result of malnutrition (Murphy 32). Diseases such as scurvy, pellagra and cholera became common phenomena (Murphy 33).

Although emigration was common among the Irish people before 1845, the rate was significantly increased by the Irish potato famine. To put this in perspective, 11% of the population emigrated as a result of the famine (Murphy, 33). According to Murphy (35), Irish potato famine majorly affected native Irish language speakers. Their deaths and emigration almost eliminated Irish language.

Following the effects of the Irish potato famine, people realized the implications of subdividing land into pieces that cannot support reasonable agricultural activities (Litton 2). As a result, subdivision of land was highly discouraged. Parents were advised to only give land to one son (Litton 3).

After regaining some stability following the famine, Irish people started pushing for land reforms to protect the interests of tenants (Mitchel 23). In 1878, their agitation under the leadership of Stewart Parnel l led to formation of Irish Land League (Mitchel 23). As Mitchel points out, the league was created to ensure that Irish people were allocated land (25).

The famine also led to a long battle for independence by the Irish population. The battle culminated in the ending of British rule in Ireland in 1948, although six counties in the North remained part of Britain.

Irish potato famine inflicted undeserved pain on the Irish people. The government failed to discourage subdivision of land into small portions that cannot support a variety of Agricultural activities. There were no policies to protect peasant farmers who majorly rented land from British landlords. The situation could have been averted if the government had moved with speed to ensure that food reaches poor farmers whose only source of livelihood had been damaged.

Instead, the famine was allowed to continue; killing people and sending others to foreign lands. It almost wiped out Irish language which was majorly spoken by the poor farmers. The famine led to political activities that culminated in land reforms and subsequent birth of the Irish Republic. Despite the lessons presented by this famine, the world still experiences similar famines almost two centuries later.

Donnelly, James. The Irish Famine. Madison: University of Wisconsin, 2011. Print.

Litton, Helen. “The Irish Famine.” Journal of Illustrated History. 12.4 (200): 2-9. Web.

Mitchel, John. The Last Conquest of Ireland (1861) . Dublin: University College Dublin, 2005. Web.

Murphy, James. Abject Loyalty: Nationalism and Monarchy in Ireland during the Reign of Queen Victoria . Cork: Cork University, 2001. Web.

Ritschel, Dan. The Irish famine: Interpretive & Historiographical Issues . College Park: University of Maryland, 2009. Web.

Ross, David. “Ireland History.” Journal of History . 226.3 (2002): 7-18. Print.

• Chicago (A-D)
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IvyPanda. (2024, January 30). Irish Potato Famine. https://ivypanda.com/essays/irish-potato-famine/

"Irish Potato Famine." IvyPanda , 30 Jan. 2024, ivypanda.com/essays/irish-potato-famine/.

IvyPanda . (2024) 'Irish Potato Famine'. 30 January.

IvyPanda . 2024. "Irish Potato Famine." January 30, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/irish-potato-famine/.

1. IvyPanda . "Irish Potato Famine." January 30, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/irish-potato-famine/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Irish Potato Famine." January 30, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/irish-potato-famine/.

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Common Essay Structures / Patterns of Development

Cause and effect.

Cause and effect is just what it says. You might write an essay that searches out the causes of something. Or you might write an essay that investigates a variety of effects that stem from a particular event or condition. Writing about causes and effects deals with identifying “reasons why” and/or “results.”

When you write an essay using a cause and effect pattern, know that you can either focuses on causes, or focus on effects, or some combination of both. The important thing to remember is that this pattern calls for logical thinking in dealing with causes, and logical probabilities in explaining effects.  Don’t fall into a logical fallacy by assuming simple and/or incorrect causation.  Instead, make sure that you link causes and effects logically, carefully considering both evidence and probability.

As you develop a focus and working thesis for a cause and effect essay, you might ask yourself the following questions:

• Do I want to focus on effects of a particular cause?  If so is there a main effect that’s broken down into smaller pieces, or are there multiple effects of equal weight?
• Do I want to focus on the causes of a particular event, issue, etc.?  If so, is there one primary cause that’s broken down into smaller pieces, or are there multiple causes of equal weight?

It will help if you list causes/effects, or create a mind map as you prewrite for an essay applying a cause and effect pattern.

Remember that your topic should be focused enough to yield some depth and insight, yet broad enough to be developed.  Writing in general about the causes of the 2008 global financial crisis may be unproductive, because the multiple and complex nature of those causes cannot be dealt with briefly and might require a book with multiple chapters instead of a relatively brief college essay.  Or writing about the proposed effect of the World Health Organization’s initiative to eliminate rabies by 2030 through dog vaccinations and more available health education may be unproductive, because the effect is very focused and can be stated in a few sentences.  On the other hand, writing about the effects of the 2008 crash on Baby Boomers’ retirement plans, or writing about causes of rabies in rural areas in India, may be more productive, as these foci can be tackled within the framework of a college essay.

View the following video for more information about cause and effect essays.

Here are some graphic organizers for cause and effect essays.

Cause and Effect in Action

Make sure to read sample Cause and Effect essays in the Sample Essays section of this text.

• Cause and Effect. Authored by : Susan Oaks. Provided by : Empire State College, SUNY OER Services. Project : College Writing. License : CC BY-NC: Attribution-NonCommercial
• image of falling dominoes being stopped. Authored by : CSchmidt-EC. Provided by : Pixabay. Located at : https://pixabay.com/en/dominoes-domino-barricade-hand-1902622/%20 . License : CC0: No Rights Reserved
• video Cause and Effect essay. Provided by : EAP Foundation. Located at : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMD7VjsHfBA . License : Other . License Terms : Standard YouTube License