The Irish Potato Famine displaced around 25% of the Irish population during the years 1845to 1852 when the potato crop was struck by a water born mold which led to a total crop failure several years in a row. The reliance on the potato as a staple was largely a result of the dedication of most arable land to the production of beef destined for England. The potato famine thus became a highly charged political as well as a social issue since wealthy English landowners controlled the bulk of farming estates throughout Ireland at the time of the famine, leading to accusations that Irish famine victims were merely pawns lost in the tangle of English capitalist concerns. The famine led to the complete loss of basic human necessities and human dignity of the Irish population including their homes, livelihoods and families.