Why do societies that venerate their elders sometimes turn violently against them? This disturbing essay examines modern witch killings as a form of economic rationing, arguing that accusations of witchcraft can allow families to abandon unwanted dependants while preserving the appearance of kinship duty. Drawing on cases from Ghana, Tanzania, India, Kenya, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, it makes a powerful case for pensions, social insurance, and institutions that separate familial love from material survival.
00:00 - Introduction
10:52 - Kinship societies are tense societies
18:30 - Witch killings are about rationing resources
26:49 - Mediating institutions mean you don’t have to kill dependents
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