Quaker Relief Activities During The Irish Famine(1845-1849)

The Great Famine of 1845-1849 in Ireland was not only the worst famine in Irish history,but also the worst famine in modern Europe.In the summer of 1845,a potato blight was introduced into Europe.The failure of the potato crop quickly triggered a major famine in Ireland because of the high dependence of the Irish people on potatoes.Due to the limitations of official relief,various unofficial relief organizations played an important role in the relief of the great famine.Among them,the Quakers were one of the earliest unofficial relief organizations involved in the relief of the Great Famine in Ireland,and also the relief organizations involved in the longest time span and the most extensive content.Quakers,also known as ‘the Society of Friends’ or ‘Friends’,arose in England and the American colonies in the mid-17 th century and were founded by George Fox.The Quakers believed in the‘Inner Light’,which advocated equality for all people without hierarchy.They opposed slavery,tithing,war,capital punishment,alcoholism and gambling,and valued social causes such as commerce,education and charity.The Quakers,though small in number,played an irreplaceable role in the relief of the Great Irish famine.During the Irish famine,the Quakers took an active part in the relief activities with the principle of life first and pragmatism.In order to better carry out the relief work,the Quakers set up two organizations,the Central Relief Committee and the London Committee,respectively in Dublin,Ireland and London,England.The two organizations cooperated on an equal basis,but the Central Relief Commission carried out most of the relief work.After extensive field trips,the Quakers were active in feeding and clothe the victims,raising funds,providing employment,not only to provide immediate relief to the victims,but also to improve the poverty situation in Ireland in the long run.Although the Quakers were formally a Protestant sect,they did not have religious prejudice against Catholics or other religious denominations,but provided equal relief to the victims of all denominations.Although Quakers’ relief effect is difficult to use specific indicators to measure,but overall,Quaker’ relief work is successful,and its success more to reflect on the relief spirit and relief concept.Its relief features,such as abandoning religious prejudice,attaching importance to protecting victims’ self-esteem,helping victims to help themselves,extensively uniting social forces,and relief concepts such as equality of all,life first and pragmatism,were widely recognized at that time and later generations,making the Quaker relief model become the model of famine relief in various countries.