Irish paying for everyone’s lunch

ARE there historical parallels that might explain current economic difficulties?

I may have found one, with anomalies an economist may explain.

During and after the 1845-48 Irish Potato Famine millions starved and millions more left. There was other food in the country but it was exported to feed people who could pay. In return, some of the starving received food for work. Others lost their land in order to qualify for food as beggars or “deserving poor”.