Podcast Summary: Todo Concostrina

Episode: Acontece que no es poco | Hambrunas, otra forma de violencia
Date: September 22, 2025
Host: Nieves Concostrina
Guest/Co-host: Carla
Platform: Cadena SER Podcast

Overview

In this episode of "Acontece que no es poco," Nieves Concostrina dives into the subject of famine as an instrument of violence, with a focus on two key historical examples: the Spanish post-civil war famine orchestrated by Franco and, more extensively, the catastrophic famines imposed by British colonial rule in India. The conversation challenges the popular history surrounding celebrated figures like Winston Churchill, exposing the deliberate use of hunger as a weapon and the racist and colonial justifications for such acts.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Nature of Famine as Violence

• Nieves frames famine not as a byproduct of conflict, but as “a form of violence in itself.”
• References present-day examples (such as Gaza) to underscore that starvation continues to be wielded as a weapon of war and control.
• Quote:

  “Las hambrunas no son consecuencia de la violencia, son una forma de violencia en sí misma. Lo fue en España, lo fue en la India y lo está siendo en Gaza.” — Nieves Trino [01:17]

2. Historical Precedent: Franco’s Spain

• Brief mention of the Spanish post-war famine, deliberately induced by Franco’s dictatorship.
• Reference to the book “La hambruna española” by Miguel Ángel del Arco (University of Granada), detailing how the regime weaponized food scarcity to punish and control populations.
• Personal anecdote: Nieves recalls her mother’s habits as lasting trauma from living through hunger.

3. Colonial Violence in India: The Role of Britain

• The British Empire, during its rule, provoked at least 22 recorded famines in India, with death tolls reaching into the tens of millions.
• The two deadliest:
  • 1876 "Madras Famine": 6 to 10 million lives lost.
  • 1943 "Bengal Famine": over 3.5 million deaths directly tied to Winston Churchill's policies.
• Main causes:
  • Systematic extraction and export of vital food supplies (notably rice), even as local populations starved.
  • Destruction of indigenous industries (not just agriculture) to suit colonial economic interests.
• Quote:

  “La explicación es el maldito colonialismo... nosotros los colonialistas dejamos morir de hambre deliberadamente en total a 15 millones de indios.” — Nieves Trino [04:00]

4. Exposing British Attitudes and Policies

• Deliberate removal and shipment of rice out of India, prioritizing British needs over Indian survival.
• Comparison with the Irish Famine, similarly engineered by British economic policies.
• Economic Justification: The influence of Thomas Malthus’s theory that population checks through famine are a “natural” way to balance resources—a doctrine Britain used to justify non-intervention and even active starvation.
• Quote:

  "Si los indios se morían a chorros porque no tenían arroz. Una pena, pero es que eran muchos. Y con esas hambrunas se restablecía el equilibrio.” — Nieves Trino [06:15]

5. Churchill and the Bengal Famine

• Under Churchill during WWII, Britain commandeered food supplies (“tierra quemada”) to pre-empt Japanese advances, intentionally leaving the local population to starve.

• The Japanese never actually invaded Bengal, but Churchill’s policy stood, leading to millions of deaths.

• Churchill’s racism and personal disdain for India are highlighted:

  • Quote:

    “Odio a los indios. Es un pueblo bestial con una religión bestial. El hambre es enteramente su culpa porque se reproducen como conejos.” — Churchill (quoted by Nieves Trino) [11:02]

• Other notable moment: Churchill’s infamous response to the Viceroy of India’s pleas for relief:

  “Si la comida era tan escasa, ¿por qué Gandhi no había muerto todavía?” — Churchill (quoted) [11:15]

6. Historical Legacy and Recognition

• Churchill’s international veneration is questioned; mention of Barack Obama removing his bust from the White House due to the British legacy in Kenya (Obama’s paternal ancestry).
• The argument that there are no records of famines in India of such magnitude before or after colonial rule—undermining the idea that famine was “natural” to India.
• Final ironic note: Churchill’s bitterness at not winning the Nobel Peace Prize, only Literature, highlighting the historical amnesia around his reputation.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On collective amnesia and myth-making:

  “...esto de navegar por la historia... resulta siempre muy gratificante. Siempre. Y muy útil, además... desmontar mitos, rascar en figuras que en un momento dado pueden haber generado mucha admiración y de repente, chof, se te caen.” — Carla [00:31]

• On the deliberate nature of colonial famine:

  “India podría sobrevivir aunque fuera en precario, pese a las malas cosechas, con lo poquito que tenían. Pero entonces los británicos se quedarían sin arroz. Así que prefirieron dejar morir de hambre a los indios.” — Nieves Trino [05:46]

Timestamps of Important Segments

• 00:25–01:12: Introduction: Exploring history, uncomfortable truths, and myth-busting.
• 01:13–03:53: Framing famine as a form of violence; Spanish famine under Franco.
• 03:53–05:33: Colonial economic policies in India and the deliberate stripping of resources.
• 05:33–07:10: Economic theories justifying British inaction— the Malthusian rationale.
• 07:20–08:45: Detailed account of the Madras Famine; ongoing British indifference.
• 08:45–10:08: WWII and Churchill’s “tierra quemada” policy leading to the Bengal Famine.
• 10:55–12:00: Churchill’s racism, infamous quotes, and actions during the Bengal Famine.
• 12:00–12:53: Churchill’s legacy, Nobel Prize irony, and end of the main discussion.

Conclusion & Tone

The episode masterfully deconstructs the glamorized narratives surrounding British colonialism and its “great” figures, laying bare the callous use of famine against subject peoples as deliberate, racist policy rather than unavoidable tragedy. Concostrina’s tone is probing and unsparing, blending historical fact with pointed commentary and occasional biting humor, making for both an enlightening and sobering listen.

For further listening:
For those interested in deeper dives, the episode hints at future coverage of the Irish Famine and other colonial atrocities.