# Ricardian economics and the Irish Famine
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricardian-economics-and-the-irish-famine/670042
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [September 30, 2013, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricardian-economics-and-the-irish-famine/670042 "2013-09-30T21:49:01Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)
#### Post date: [September 30, 2013, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricardian-economics-and-the-irish-famine/670042/1 "2013-09-30T21:49:01Z")
Hi,
I would like to know more about how Ricardian economics (specifically the \*Ricardian Law of comparative advantage)was applied to Ireland. I understand that the British government used Ireland to raise cattle for export presumably because so much of the country was good for grazing/(was unsuitable for growing cash crops?). i look forward to your feedback.
davidmich
> **[Comparative advantage](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparative_advantage)**
>
> In an economic model, agents have a comparative advantage over others in producing a particular good if they can produce that good at a lower relative opportunity cost or autarky price, i.e. at a lower relative marginal cost prior to trade. Comparative advantage describes the economic reality of the work gains from trade for individuals, firms, or nations, which arise from differences in their factor endowments or technological progress. (The absolute advantage, comparing output per time (l David...
\*In economics, comparative advantage refers to the ability of a party to produce a particular good or service at a lower marginal and opportunity cost over another. Even if one country is more efficient in the production of all goods (absolute advantage in all goods) than the other, both countries will still gain by trading with each other, as long as they have different relative efficiencies.[1][2][3]
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### Author:  [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)
#### Post date: [September 30, 2013, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricardian-economics-and-the-irish-famine/670042/2 "2013-09-30T22:31:09Z")
Well there was Ricardian economics involved in the famine. Potatoes became the most popular crop because they were the most efficient land usage; a single family typically could live off an acre of potatoes, while grain crops usually took up at least two acres. It also thrived on Ireland’s numerous bogs. It was very common to live only on potatoes (as much as ten pounds a day). So when potato crops started failing in the 1840s, famine was almost inevitable. (I take the above info from “A History of Western Society” by John McKay and Bennett Hill, which cites “The Population of Ireland 1750-1850” by K.H. Connell as its main source.)
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### Author:  [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)
#### Post date: [September 30, 2013, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricardian-economics-and-the-irish-famine/670042/3 "2013-09-30T22:46:10Z")
Thank you InstallLCS. I’ll take a look at those titles you mentioned.
davidmich
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### Author:  [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)
#### Post date: [September 30, 2013, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricardian-economics-and-the-irish-famine/670042/4 "2013-09-30T22:52:31Z")
Well the first title is just a college textbook so don’t bother. The second one is the one worth looking at.