Outlines the social, political and economic conditions that allowed the famine to occur and charts the first 3 years of the crisis in Ireland and Europe. In Ireland we see how the British government’s initial response was successful in staving off the worst impact of the famine. With the coming of a new government under John Russell in 1846 the response hardens as they struggle to deal with the fall out of an economic crash. The death rate rises exponentially as resources run out for the Irish poor. By contrast, in Europe authorities act fast to ensure the impact is lower.