Full Idea
The history of famines has had a peculiarly close connection with authoritarian rules.
Gist of Idea
Famines tend to be caused by authoritarian rule
Source
Amartya Sen (The Idea of Justice [2009], 16 'Famine')
Book Reference
Sen, Amartya: 'The Idea of Justice' [Penguin 2010], p.342
A Reaction
He cites the British Empire, the Soviet Union, China and Cambodia. There is unlikely to be a local famine if there is free movement of food supplies.342