“Sen wrote that 'no substantial famine has ever occurred in any independent and democratic country with a relatively free press'; Olivier Rubin (2009), examining Bihar 1966, Malawi 2002 and Niger 2005, called into question the strength of the link between democracy and famine protection.”

Context. Sen attributes the pattern to the incentives created by elections, opposition parties and a free press. Critics debate the definitions of 'substantial famine' and 'democracy' and point to famines in electoral democracies.