During the Irish Potato Famine, tenant farmers faced eviction due to inability to pay rent to absentee landowners, leading to hundreds of thousands being displaced. The British Poor Law of 1834 worsened the situation by sending able-bodied indigence to workhouses instead of providing relief. Livelihood shock occurred when farmers were priced out of their own cropland, further diminishing the food supply. The British government's inaction and pushback exacerbated the famine, with Lord John Russell neglecting the issue and emphasizing grain export over famine relief.