In a time when famine was commonplace and social hierarchies were often brutally enforced, food was an important marker of social status in a way that has no equivalent today in most developed countries.
Saat bencana kelaparan umum terjadi dan hierarki sosial dipaksakan secara keras, makanan menjadi satu tanda penting status sosial dengan cara yang tiada bandingnya pada saat ini di sebagian besar negara maju.