VEGETARIANISM
Many people can be forgiven for believing that adopting a vegetarian diet is a modern fad when the actual truth of the matter is that the veggie philosophy was actively encouraged many centuries ago.
ABOUT VEGETARIANISM
VEGETARIANISM GETS ORGANISED
- The word vegetarian wasnt coined until circa 1838 and it was subsequently used (In place of Pythagorean) to describe a meat-free diet from 1847 onwards. Vegetarian, as a term, has nothing to do with vegetables since it is taken from the Latin vegetus, which means lively.
- In fact 1847 was a pivotal year in the history of vegetarianism because it witnessed the formation of The Vegetarian Society - the first formal organisation to represent the interests of vegetarians. This led to the launch and publication of The Vegetarian Messenger by London-based vegetarians in 1849. This monthly newsletter had a circulation of 5000 copies and was designed to spread vegetarian ideals throughout the capital.
- A number of local branches affiliated to The Vegetarian Society would form in the 1850s and, in 1888, a breakaway from the main body transpired when The London Vegetarian Society was established. Both organisations became great rivals but nevertheless flourished with the turn of the century at a time when poverty, poor public health and infant mortality were at considerably high levels. Furthermore, the worldwide promotion of vegetarianism instigated a growth in many new movements and, in 1908; the International Vegetarian Union (IVU) was founded as a direct consequence.
- The mining communities that suffered grave poverty during the General Strike of 1926 received food parcels from The Vegetarian Society. Vegetarianism has been closely associated with humanitarianism ever since the concept was first realised and, without a doubt, it is notable that Mahatma Ghandi, a great exponent of humanitarianism, was a stoic member and advocate of The London Vegetarian Society.