The modern Chinese society (1840 -1949) was in a period of great transformation. What made the academic circles pay close attention to is that the changes of social nature brought about the changes of political situation, economic structure and social ideology. According to the author. famine is not a direct social activitiy, but it has always followed tile human race. and must have action or reaction on the various fields of humar society. If we want to explain the developing process of modern society, we should not negate or neglect the influence of famine. On the basis of various statistics, the author tried to give a general plcture of the modern famines, which happened frequently and affected many regions. and demonstrated the famine as an independent historical element. its influence on the situation of war, the structure of social policies, economy, and so cial psychology.
