Connecting the Dots!

Climate Change --> Disconnecting Nature --> Severe Weather -->
Natural Disasters And Political Change

Can disasters act as agents for political change? It’s easy to see that they can.

For example, the U.S. government’s failure to quickly and efficiently respond to natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina in 2005, has had a deep impact on the attitudes of some voters. Thus, natural disasters can impact the outcome of upcoming elections.

As an example of disaster-catalyzed change, many people were surprised with China's newfound openness and flexibility following the devastating 2008 earthquake. Needless to say, such a development is not a reason to invite any such disaster!

Source: Insight: Can Disasters Shape History?, by Bridget Kendall, BBC News.com, 5 June 2008.