Photo courtesy of babasteve

Raise Your Hopeful Voice: Why We Are Responsible For Third World Poverty, and How to Change It

“Raise your hopeful voice; you have a choice” - Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, in the song Falling Slowly

While it is easy to criticize wrongdoings in other countries — dictatorships, cruelty, corruption, torture, oppression of women, genocide — it is more difficult, and yet so much more important, to start with the wrongdoings in your own country.

It is rarely ever said that we, the United States and other industrialized nations of the world, are responsible for the deaths of millions of poor, of children, of oppressed, in the Third World nations of the world. And yet, we are, in a very direct way.

I don’t often talk about politics, mainly because I’ve worked in the politics industry for so long and I know that it’s mostly all for show — elections are a dog-and-pony show where the powerful get elected every time, and the public rarely talks about issues that matter.

But today I’ve decided that with an audience so large, not to mention an audience as generous and compassionate as all of you are, I have a responsibility to raise my hopeful voice in defense of the voiceless, the powerless, the hungry and the dying. It would be wrong of me to be silent when I know better.

Today I’d like to talk about Third World poverty, and why we in the First World are responsible. And how we can change it.

What’s at Stake

I am not going to bore you with statistics, and this post would be pages and pages long if I went into details. But let’s just briefly look at what is happening in the Third World, a group of countries that is immensely populous but immensely poor.

The effects of the extreme poverties of these countries is devastating. Just a few:

There is famine in many countries, and people are dying of malnourishment, of starvation, and of related diseases. Many of them live in the streets, children included, with no shelter, no jobs, no hope of anything better. From one.org: “Around the world, over one billion people survive on less than a dollar a day and one person in seven goes to bed hungry each night.”
Access to health care is almost non-existent, and millions die of diseases that are easily preventable or curable, simply because they can’t get medicine. Again, from one.org: “Every year, nearly 10 million children die before their fifth birthday - that’s one every three seconds - nearly all of them from preventable or treatable diseases like diarrhea, pneumonia and measles.”
Access to education is also very limited, and therefore they have very little opportunity to improve themselves. Who can go to school when you’re starving, when you’re dying of diseases, when you have no shelter or clothing? About 72 million children have no access to education.
Health of mothers: “Every year, over half a million mothers die from complications during child birth, and tens of millions more suffer from pregnancy related illnesses and injuries.”
Combat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria: Although HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria are entirely preventable and treatable, they are three of the world’s most devastating diseases: in 2007, HIV/AIDS killed more than 2 million people, tuberculosis killed 1.7 million and at least one million people died of malaria.

The Causes of Third World Poverty, Briefly

There are many, many causes of Third World poverty, and it would take several books to explore each of them. But I’ll mention a few briefly, so that we can see how we’re responsible:

Agricultural conditions: Many poor nations don’t have a lot of arable land due to many factors: deforestation (usually to meet the paper, beef or other needs of First World countries), erosion, overgrazing, droughts, and other man-made or natural causes.
Corruption: Many countries have gone through decades of devastating corruption at all levels of government — systematic corruption which robbed the taxpayers, left the nation with crippling debt, and left many other problems as well. Many of these countries (not all) have gone through major government reforms, so that the corrupt regimes are a thing of the past — but the debt and other problems they left behind are still very real.
Debt: Because of corruption and mismanagement of funds, among other issues, Third World countries are often left with enormous debt that they will never be able to pay back — and in the meantime their debt payments cripple their economy so that they cannot improve conditions. This debt can easily be forgiven by First World countries with little impact to our economies.
Overpopulation: Many poor nations are extremely crowded, especially in urban areas, without the infrastructure required to feed, clothe and house these rapidly growing populations. The issue of overpopulation is a complicated one, and it’s being addressed internationally. But actually most poor nations could theoretically feed their populations if things were restructured. For example, they grow enough crops to feed their population, but much of it is exported to richer nations — 80% of the world’s crops are consumed by the richest 20% of the population (First World countries). Much of their land is also used to produce crops that are excessive considering their population’s needs: tobacco, for example, and sugar, beef, biofuels, and other crops to meet the demands of First World countries.
“Structural changes”: The organizations of the First World (WTO, World Bank, etc.) have forced Third World countries to accept “structural changes” and unequal trade agreements that leave these countries at an even further disadvantage to solve the problems they face. Because of the enormous power of rich First World countries and crippling debt of the Third World countries, the poor nations have no bargaining power. First World countries, for example, can offer some debt relief to the poor nations, but only if they accept “structural changes” that will allow the First World countries and global corporations to profit from the Third World countries. Often they are forced to privatize public assets, for example, selling major governmental entities to global corporations (giving them a monopoly over public assets) and leaving the government with less of an income stream. The list of changes these countries have been forced to make is long and catastrophic.

Again, this is just a very brief introduction to the causes of Third World poverty, but it serves as an illustration for what we in the First World can do to help.

What We Can Do to Help

While it might seem like an overwhelming and insurmountable problem, we in the First World have the power to make a major difference, if we can get enough of us to join in the effort. Some of the causes of global poverty in the section above are fixable, with actions from our government. And as we have democratic control over our government, we can pressure our elected officials to make important changes.

Some things we can do:

Debt relief: First World nations can cancel debt owed to them by Third World countries without imposing devastating conditions on them, freeing up resources for human development. This single step would be huge for most poor countries, and make very little difference to developed nations.
Release controls: We need to stop imposing controls on underdeveloped nations (through the World Bank, IMF and World Trade Organization) that favor multinational corporations and hamper the growth of these nations.
Send aid: While aid is already going to Third World countries, it is on a very small scale and can easily be increased. It should also be directed more effectively to improve human conditions, for education, sustainable development, improving the rights of workers, and address deplorable living conditions, for example.
Empower people: We can help people in underdeveloped nations become more empowered by providing them access to free education (with no user fees), giving them free health care (again, with no user fees), assisting local businesses to grow their businesses and create jobs, and so forth.
Fair trade: Developing countries should have the freedom to set their own trade and investment policies (instead of having them imposed by international institutions), putting the interests of their people first. Instead, “liberalization” has been forced upon these countries, allowing multinational corporations to harvest natural resources, exploit workers and farmers (who are powerless against these corporations), export much-needed capital, and in general end any chance at sustainable development.

What You Can Do Right Now

So if this problem is something we in the First World can help alleviate, what can you do as a person, right at this moment? Several things:

Let your elected officials know: The policies outlined above (and more) can easily be enacted by our governments, with the proper political will. It’s just a matter of enough people letting elected officials know how important this is to the electorate, and voting accordingly.
Join together: It’s only if we unite that we will make progress. Join an organization such as the Global Call to Action Against Poverty and One.org so that you can help make these policies a reality.
Support organizations: Support Fair Trade companies by buying products marked with “Fair Trade” and donate to organizations that are helping developing nations (United Students for Fair Trade). Support Train For Humanity (an initiative I’m involved in) which allows endurance athletes to use their training to raise money for humanitarian causes.

—
If you liked this article, please share it on del.icio.us, StumbleUpon or Digg. I’d appreciate it. :)

Raise Your Hopeful Voice: Why We Are Responsible For Third World Poverty, and How to Change It

“Raise your hopeful voice; you have a choice” - Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, in the song Falling Slowly

Today I’d like to talk about Third World poverty, and why we in the First World are responsible. And how we can change it.

What’s at Stake

The effects of the extreme poverties of these countries is devastating. Just a few:

There is famine in many countries, and people are dying of malnourishment, of starvation, and of related diseases. Many of them live in the streets, children included, with no shelter, no jobs, no hope of anything better. From one.org: “Around the world, over one billion people survive on less than a dollar a day and one person in seven goes to bed hungry each night.”
Access to health care is almost non-existent, and millions die of diseases that are easily preventable or curable, simply because they can’t get medicine. Again, from one.org: “Every year, nearly 10 million children die before their fifth birthday - that’s one every three seconds - nearly all of them from preventable or treatable diseases like diarrhea, pneumonia and measles.”
Access to education is also very limited, and therefore they have very little opportunity to improve themselves. Who can go to school when you’re starving, when you’re dying of diseases, when you have no shelter or clothing? About 72 million children have no access to education.
Health of mothers: “Every year, over half a million mothers die from complications during child birth, and tens of millions more suffer from pregnancy related illnesses and injuries.”
Combat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria: Although HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria are entirely preventable and treatable, they are three of the world’s most devastating diseases: in 2007, HIV/AIDS killed more than 2 million people, tuberculosis killed 1.7 million and at least one million people died of malaria.

The Causes of Third World Poverty, Briefly

There are many, many causes of Third World poverty, and it would take several books to explore each of them. But I’ll mention a few briefly, so that we can see how we’re responsible:

Agricultural conditions: Many poor nations don’t have a lot of arable land due to many factors: deforestation (usually to meet the paper, beef or other needs of First World countries), erosion, overgrazing, droughts, and other man-made or natural causes.
Corruption: Many countries have gone through decades of devastating corruption at all levels of government — systematic corruption which robbed the taxpayers, left the nation with crippling debt, and left many other problems as well. Many of these countries (not all) have gone through major government reforms, so that the corrupt regimes are a thing of the past — but the debt and other problems they left behind are still very real.
Debt: Because of corruption and mismanagement of funds, among other issues, Third World countries are often left with enormous debt that they will never be able to pay back — and in the meantime their debt payments cripple their economy so that they cannot improve conditions. This debt can easily be forgiven by First World countries with little impact to our economies.
Overpopulation: Many poor nations are extremely crowded, especially in urban areas, without the infrastructure required to feed, clothe and house these rapidly growing populations. The issue of overpopulation is a complicated one, and it’s being addressed internationally. But actually most poor nations could theoretically feed their populations if things were restructured. For example, they grow enough crops to feed their population, but much of it is exported to richer nations — 80% of the world’s crops are consumed by the richest 20% of the population (First World countries). Much of their land is also used to produce crops that are excessive considering their population’s needs: tobacco, for example, and sugar, beef, biofuels, and other crops to meet the demands of First World countries.
“Structural changes”: The organizations of the First World (WTO, World Bank, etc.) have forced Third World countries to accept “structural changes” and unequal trade agreements that leave these countries at an even further disadvantage to solve the problems they face. Because of the enormous power of rich First World countries and crippling debt of the Third World countries, the poor nations have no bargaining power. First World countries, for example, can offer some debt relief to the poor nations, but only if they accept “structural changes” that will allow the First World countries and global corporations to profit from the Third World countries. Often they are forced to privatize public assets, for example, selling major governmental entities to global corporations (giving them a monopoly over public assets) and leaving the government with less of an income stream. The list of changes these countries have been forced to make is long and catastrophic.

Again, this is just a very brief introduction to the causes of Third World poverty, but it serves as an illustration for what we in the First World can do to help.

What We Can Do to Help

Some things we can do:

Debt relief: First World nations can cancel debt owed to them by Third World countries without imposing devastating conditions on them, freeing up resources for human development. This single step would be huge for most poor countries, and make very little difference to developed nations.
Release controls: We need to stop imposing controls on underdeveloped nations (through the World Bank, IMF and World Trade Organization) that favor multinational corporations and hamper the growth of these nations.
Send aid: While aid is already going to Third World countries, it is on a very small scale and can easily be increased. It should also be directed more effectively to improve human conditions, for education, sustainable development, improving the rights of workers, and address deplorable living conditions, for example.
Empower people: We can help people in underdeveloped nations become more empowered by providing them access to free education (with no user fees), giving them free health care (again, with no user fees), assisting local businesses to grow their businesses and create jobs, and so forth.
Fair trade: Developing countries should have the freedom to set their own trade and investment policies (instead of having them imposed by international institutions), putting the interests of their people first. Instead, “liberalization” has been forced upon these countries, allowing multinational corporations to harvest natural resources, exploit workers and farmers (who are powerless against these corporations), export much-needed capital, and in general end any chance at sustainable development.

What You Can Do Right Now

So if this problem is something we in the First World can help alleviate, what can you do as a person, right at this moment? Several things:

Let your elected officials know: The policies outlined above (and more) can easily be enacted by our governments, with the proper political will. It’s just a matter of enough people letting elected officials know how important this is to the electorate, and voting accordingly.
Join together: It’s only if we unite that we will make progress. Join an organization such as the Global Call to Action Against Poverty and One.org so that you can help make these policies a reality.
Support organizations: Support Fair Trade companies by buying products marked with “Fair Trade” and donate to organizations that are helping developing nations (United Students for Fair Trade). Support Train For Humanity (an initiative I’m involved in) which allows endurance athletes to use their training to raise money for humanitarian causes.

—
If you liked this article, please share it on del.icio.us, StumbleUpon or Digg. I’d appreciate it. :)

Posted on 15 October 2008 in Happiness |
Digg |
Del.icio.us |
Stumble |
Print

Comments (105)

Kimberlee Says:

October 15th, 2008, 21:33 pm

What a beautiful and simple post on what we can do to change the lives of millions of people. It’s so easy to feel guilty about having so much, but instead we can use what we have to make a real difference.

Thank you for continuing to spread the message about poverty. We can all do our part, one day at a time.

Kimberlee

Tabitha (From Single to Married) Says:

October 15th, 2008, 21:37 pm

This is such a heart-breaking issue and it’s always difficult to read about the people who suffer so, much but it is so necessary. It is the only way that change will take place. Thanks for the article and for the reminder of the things that we can do to make a difference.

Ryan McLean Says:

October 15th, 2008, 22:01 pm

About time someone with such a big standing like yourself raised their voice and started saying something about our responsibility to end poverty.
I give a percentage of my money away and I want to become wealthier so I can give more money and resource away.
That is why I run my entrepreneurs blog.
Thanks for the tips and for raising you voice

Thomas Herold Says:

October 15th, 2008, 22:10 pm

Watch the Zeitgeist Addendum movie on the Internet:
http://www.zeitgeistmovie.com

ViCtoria Says:

October 15th, 2008, 22:16 pm

I’m from a third world nation (Peru) and thank you immensely for encouraging others to help countries that need it. Luckily, I live among the priviledged people in Lima, but I always find ways to give aid such as volunteering and the like.

Another cause for our socioeconomic setback that is always mentioned here is the arrival of the Spaniards. Making this general for other countries, we could say that the effect of post-colonisation has caused many of our problems here. Just throwing in a bit of knowledge :)*

Nate Berkopec Says:

October 15th, 2008, 22:20 pm

I’m for ending poverty too, Leo, but simply saying more of the old way (throwing money at the problem, calling for “more favorable trade”, etc.) isn’t the way to solve it.

And, while things are bad now, let’s remember that they’re improving an exponential rate thanks to the power of international trade. Many of the economies you think of as “poor” are growing 5-10% per year, nearly double or triple that of the First World. They’re catching up - things are not getting worse because of free trade, they’re getting better.

The way to improve the Third World is by improving business conditions and increasing investment. Vaguely damning “multinational corporations” hasn’t gotten us anywhere, and I strongly encourage you to reconsider your views. We need conscious, smart capitalism to bring the Third World into the First.

Leo Says:

October 15th, 2008, 22:29 pm

I thank all of you for your insights and comments!

@Nate, who said “The way to improve the Third World is by improving business conditions and increasing investment.”

Thank you for your perspective, Nate, but the fact is that the changes you mention are opposed by these Third World nations themselves and forced upon them by international organizations with too much power over the economies of these countries.

Corporations have forced their way into these countries, forced their “free market” view on these people, and as a result have gotten very rich off their resources while these countries have only gotten poorer. The facts bear this out. (And btw, it’s easy to grow 5-10% when you have very little — it’s not a fair statistic. Not only that, but many of these countries aren’t growing (some are, slowly but not enough) but are getting worse.)

Ask the people of these countries what they want. Don’t force free market ideology on them. Btw, “free market” is a misleading term when mandates have been forced on these countries — it’s not free, it’s forced. The corporations are free to do what they like (with no accountability) but the people of these countries and the countries themselves are not free.

eclecticaliah Says:

October 15th, 2008, 22:47 pm

Compassion International (www.compassion.com) and World Vision (www.worldvision.com) are two of my favorite organizations that deal with poverty. You can sponsor a child, give a family a goat/chicken/pig/fishpond/etc., give someone a microloan to start their own business, and many, many other options. Please check them out. I challenge you to think about what luxury you may be able to give up or defer in order to save a life. Do you really need that latte/tech update/fancy clothing more than a person needs food and clean water? I don’t mean to put a guilt trip on anyone, but I think it is important to realize that in First World countries we often think that we NEED stuff that is really a luxury, when many people in the world don’t have basic things they need to survive.

Carlos Sousa Says:

October 15th, 2008, 22:51 pm

Never commented on your blog althought I´ve been reading it for a long time now.
As always…great post, Leo.

But I sense a shift is coming…

http://www.theshiftmovie.com/

And I truly believe that your ideas and the way you live are a part of this shift.

Carlos

Ryan McLean Says:

October 15th, 2008, 22:55 pm

@ Leo - What about teaching the people in 3rd world countries to run organisations and businesses?

RealTime Says:

October 15th, 2008, 23:01 pm

Utopia is just around the corner, I’m sure.

The biggest driver of world poverty is leadership provided by thugs and thieves. The easy reaction is to feed money, encourage “empowerment” and provide aid. It has never and will never work as a solution. The solution is freedom and liberty first. And then, financial supports and motivators. But, freedom and liberty require a huge amount of energy input. Thus, the status quo reigns.

Promoting concerts, protesting and wishing for a return of Che is embarrassing. Eventually, the thugs and thieves must be confronted and removed. Historically, and throughout all of nature, an overwhelming application of brutal force has been needed. And, that force has to come from outside the society that is being oppressed. The USA is the only country in the world that has been willing to send their young men and women to die for the freedom of others.

That is the brutal reality. A reality that is very uncomfortable to talk about in Starbucks.

RealTime Says:

October 15th, 2008, 23:04 pm

p.s. I’ve been providing monthly donations to World Vision for many, many years. They are a great organization. I donate in order to help in a micro way. But, I know that overarching solutions will never be provided by the charity organizations. They provide a meaningful bridge to help people get by day to day. But the big solutions will come by a total change in government. Away from dictators and toward an open and free form of democracy. Democracy is the most successful solution to poverty and injustice. Just a historical fact.

Brian Carnell Says:

October 15th, 2008, 23:17 pm

First, there’s very little agreement in development literature about what causes some countries to succeed and others not to succeed. Of the factors you mention, I’d agree only with corruption and the structural issues. For example, understand at all what you’re saying about agricultural resources…most of the countries that have problems with food security aren’t exactly lacking in high quality farmland. Zimbabwe isn’t starving because of depleted soil.

Anyway, there is something simple that the developed countries could do tomorrow to alleviate Third World poverty — walk the talk and open up their own markets to exactly the sort of free trade that they preach.

The reality is that while the developed countries rightly preach free trade and market economies, they then turn around and erect protectionist barriers either through tariffs or domestic subsidies to prevent the third world from freely trading with them. Its obscene that we tell underdeveloped countries to abandon protectionism in, say, agriculture, and then use subsidies and tariffs to protect our own domestic ag producers — it is also lousy for the environment as it encourages production on sub-optimal land.

And there is similar nonsense in everything from catfish to textiles. Rather than mess around with the nebulous “fair trade” (which often looks like protectionism with a pretty face fronting it) or the IMF/etcs “structural” efforts, just open our darn markets already. It’s sadly ironic that the countries that most trumpet free markets are frightened to death to actually freely trade with the poor of the world.

Frankly, free trade works where it is not subverted by rank corruption. It worked very well for the Asian democracies which a few decades ago were also poverty-stricken. It was working well for Zimbabwe until Mugabe went off the tracks.

Maura Says:

October 15th, 2008, 23:19 pm

This is a wonderful post, Leo. I hope this generates many thoughtful responses, both in comments to your article and in people taking some action to help alleviate suffering of their fellow human beings.

My dilemma is this - my heart feels and responds, but my head says there’s a missing piece. I would love to know what others think about the following:

If we’re able to address these social/ethical issues, what will we do with so many more healthy people in the world, educated and wanting to live better lives, and consuming more resources? How will we handle the world’s burgeoning population? And, to take it a step further, how will the earth’s resources support an entire world full of developed nations that will want to consume at the rate of the US?

Many years ago I studied development theory a bit in college, and development in Africa (the continent and its many countries) and China in particular, and none of my professors or none of my research could provide a workable solution… without a major calamity to drastically alter the course that we’re on.

So I’m asking for some thoughtful rays of hope from the enlightended ZH community…

Vered - MomGrind Says:

October 15th, 2008, 23:22 pm

Regardless of what anyone says, there’s absolutely no excuse for hunger. In a world where so much wealth exists, not even a single person should be without food.

Thank you for this powerful article.

Kimberlee Says:

October 15th, 2008, 23:38 pm

@Maura: Great insight! I believe that the only way we would be able to accomplish a world full of healthy, thriving people, would be for the rest of the world to live a far simpler lifestyle. If you only have the necessities, and donate the rest that you are able to the poor, then the poor will have their necessities, and the wealthy will be reduced to their necessities. From that (more or less) equal ground would we be able to add wants and consumerism again.

Of course, this a highly idealized version of what it would take. So few people are willing to live a simple life. There will always be people with more, and people with less. Bridging the gap is what is important.

Frankly, I’d be glad to tackle that challenge when we come to it. I’d be happy to say, “We have a world full of healthy people. How do we support each other?” The answers lie in simplicity and community support.

I don’t have a workable solution, just some general thoughts about the potential path we would have to take. The current system is not working. We may never reach the goal to wipe out poverty entirely. The point is that even if you do one small thing to help, you have made a difference in someone’s life.

Kimberlee

Sunili Says:

October 15th, 2008, 23:41 pm

Hi Leo, long time reader, first time commenter — because this is an important issue that is dear to my heart.

You response to @Nate hit most of the nails right on the head (great post, too by the way!). I wrote my honours thesis on “development” a couple of years ago. I was horrified when I looked through the literature and realised how The West has been trying to “develop” the “third world” (through the methods you mentioned, Leo) for decades and decades. And failing.

Looking at the macro issues of “free” (and it’s not) trade makes everything seem like there is too much to do and that it’s just not possible, but I honestly believe it’s about everyone doing the little things that ARE achievable in our day-to-day lives. (That was the topic of my blog action day post).

@Maura I think the ideas on this blog and others about living simply and frugally and sustainably is the only real solution… to just about everything we’re looking down the barrel at right now including the environment and the economy…

Writer Dad Says:

October 16th, 2008, 0:12 am

I read a LOT today, Leo. This one was the best. Stumbled on this computer, and my wife’s.

Leo Says:

October 16th, 2008, 0:20 am

What an interesting discussion! Unfortunately I don’t think I can respond to everyone’s points as this conversation continues, as I’m a bit under the weather today. I’ll try and jump in when I can but mostly I’ll leave it to all of you to debate.

@Maura: That’s a great point! And overpopulation is something that should be worked on in conjunction with poverty issues. In fact, one of the Millennium Development Goals (along with some of the issues I mentioned above) is to provide “access to information on sexual and reproductive health.”

Education is one of the keys to overpopulation — as education and relative income level increase, overpopulation issues decrease. The First World has a much smaller rate of births than the Third World for these very reasons.

There are other things that should be done, including access to birth control (part of the health care issue), family planning education, and finding more sustainable methods of growth (at the present time our society’s use of resources is unsustainable).

Poverty and overpopulation issues are interwoven and need to be worked on together.

Luis Fernando Says:

October 16th, 2008, 0:50 am

Well, I should say that I’m a brazilian business owner and I for my whole teenage I blamed the rich countries for our conditions.

But as in Brazil, we have the greatest resources the Earth could give: oil, plenty of land for agriculture, valuable minerals and all that. But still, we didn’t prosper. Switzerland had nothing and is what it is today. I think that people’s conditions are their own people’s fault. I had the opportunity to live in the US for 3 months, and I see how different people think regarding many issues. Since throwing garbage on the streets to jaywalking or following the law in general.

I see a world of prosperity, not of lackness. So, we live in a world where value is created out of nothing. We don’t need land anymore to be rich, you don’t need capital anymore to start a company.

The greatest thing we could do for ourselves is invest in education (just like South Korea did), then we could become better everytime. Still, it’s never anybody else’s fault. It usually is our own.

Success Professor - Danny Gamache Says:

October 16th, 2008, 0:56 am

@ Ryan McLean

Great question. In fact this is happening and making a difference. The problem in general is that the people in deep poverty are not able to acquire capital for businesses and entrepreneurial pursuits. And of course when you live on $1 a day or less, you can’t save anything. This is where Microcredit comes in as a way to train and support entreprneneurs:
http://successprofessor.ca/2008/10/15/entrepreneurship-a-key-for-poverty-reduction/

Eugene (Editor, Varsity Blah) Says:

October 16th, 2008, 1:31 am

“Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.” – Charles Dickens

James Says:

October 16th, 2008, 1:42 am

http://www.typotheque.com/articles/how_good_is_good.html

Stephen Says:

October 16th, 2008, 2:12 am

I think someone once said that great evil goes unchecked in the world when good people do nothing. Thanks for this empassioned article. Well done.

Ryan McLean Says:

October 16th, 2008, 2:44 am

Leo,

I want to be a best selling author and be a great writer like you. So I wrote my first ebook which I release today….it is called “Make Money Commenting”…which is not humanitarian….but eventually I want to be a best selling Christian writer….
I think some of your readers might like my book. It is super cheap (only $7) and you can check it out at http://www.smarterwealth.net/2008/10/make-money-commenting/
Let me know how I can improve because if I get better I can help more people and eventually help people in 3rd world countries

Bram Says:

October 16th, 2008, 3:53 am

I was excited to see this post. As someone who teaches a class about different interpretations and representations of the Third World over the past two centuries, it’s obviously an issue I care about.
I think Leo does a great job of summarizing the current issues that are causes of the continuing poverty in much of the Third World. But I was a bit surprised not to see colonialism and imperialism as a cause. Imperialism and colonialism created significantly distorted and underdeveloped economies throughout much of the world in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. When many of these former colonies gained their independence, they were left with little economic basis to develop. When you add in the other causes that Leo describes, it’s rather easy to understand the continuing challenge for much of the developing world to develop.

I also want to stress the importance of our own economic choices. We have the ability to choose which products we buy and support. One of the most effective ways to help the developing world is buy directly helping the economies of the developing world. The obvious way is by supporting fair trade products. It doesn’t take long to find out about ways to directly support the economies - Oxfam is a good starting point. You can also choose not to buy products from companies that exploit poor labor conditions in the developing world.

Leo - Thanks for a great post.

Art Says:

October 16th, 2008, 4:04 am

The U.S. has done quite a bit to help 3rd world countries and their poor and starving.

I always wonder how we get blamed for the problem and then at the same time, asked to give our blood and treasure towards solving it.

Birth control has to be the #1 goal. Followed by education. Overpopulation and unwanted children are the foundation of many social ills.

It sounds easy but it’s not. How do you get an impoverished people to start taking care of their own?

Free trade, capitalism, entrepreneurship are fantastic ideals, but some countries are far from that step. It’s hard to start a business when you’re hungry.

The best we can do is increase awareness and work together with other nations, especially those nearby to these poor areas, to give a helping hand. I love the idea of medical care, mosquito nets, condoms, direct giving of food, etc.

mia Says:

October 16th, 2008, 6:14 am

As a South African, I have seen first hand my governments slow slide into corruption and cronyism aided by international organisations. People talk about free trade and investment, they talk about first world countries giving aid and how this should be solving the problem. But as many commenters have pointed out, the conditions imposed on third world and developing countries ultimately negates many of the good done by these actions. My boyfriend has written a book about the shady dealings of international arms companies with the SA government, and how they promised a host of investment ‘offsets’ in exchange for weapons trade. These offsets are only available to developing nations, and are strictly prohibited as part of trade agreements between developed countries. They are tantamount to bribery.Additionally, the delivery of the offsets are not mandatory, and are often even covered within the cost of the deal in the first place. Thus developed nations are able to give with one hand and take away with another.

Similarly, if we look at US policy in Africa, we can see how the US government has forced its own ideology onto various nations. The US will not provide AIDS funding, for example, if countries offer comprehensive sex education and abortion.

What can we do? Open our eyes and dig a little deeper. It is overwhelming, yes, but we all need to make our countries, our leaders and our corporations accountable for their dealings. Giving money to organisations is admirable and necessary, but thoroughly researching and vetting these organisations is paramount. Be educated. Buying a cow for someone is great, but we need to make sure that the social structures are being put in place so that that investment does not fizzle out. The best way to do that is to spread the knowledge and not buy into the fuzzy wuzzy farmers market fair trade way of doing things. Write to your leaders, demand change!

mia Says:

October 16th, 2008, 6:26 am

I would also like to point out, not to be negative or discount any of the good done by developed countries in aid of third world countries, that very seldom is aid given purely out kindness. We need to look very, very carefully at the reasons first world countries provide aid. It may sound awful, but the conditions imposed often enrich first world countries, which is fine, but is also open to corruption. We need to make sure that the enrichment is fair and equitable on both sides.

Counting Mouths Says:

October 16th, 2008, 6:33 am

Maura,

Communism has historically dealt with population issues. There is an old saying…. “In a communist/socialist governed society, a new child is another mouth to feed and another burden for the social structure. In a free capitalists society, a new child is a new hope or potential for greatness”. That core belief leads to many actions and outcomes.

nudgeme Says:

October 16th, 2008, 7:24 am

Really thoughtful post Leo and I’ve read a few as part of Blog Action Day this week on poverty. It’s provoked interesting comments. I agree with the people saying its about our own economic choices. One of the better things that will hopefully come out of the current financial melt down is that people will have to reconsider their choices and lifestyle decisions, and just taking the time to stand back and take stock and think about what’s really important to them. I have friends that believe that their world is ending because of the current financial climate - and indeed, paying a mortgage, keeping up with food and petrol prices is tough etc and shouldn’t be underestimated. But it’s a walk in the park when you consider those in real poverty.

@Carlos Souza - I hadn’t seen The Shift Happens movie trailer and it’s 6 odd minutes well spent, very inspirational so thank you for that. And I agree, what Leo does with Zen Habits is a good example of that shift.

@Leo - hope you’re feeling brighter soon.

Chris Says:

October 16th, 2008, 7:46 am

I’m fed up with people automatically blaming the USA for all the world’s ills. We live in the greatest country in the world and it got that way because of the great people who live in this country. Now, the liberals all want to completely reverse that and cripple this country, because they have so much guilt over their own success. I am not to blame for third world countries’ problems - they are. It’s about time people woke up and started taking responsibility for their own actions.

plonkee Says:

October 16th, 2008, 7:52 am

I’d say that if one of the first moves was to stop protecting our own agriculture and industry from fair markets, that would be a good thing. Monsanto does not need agriculture subsidies in any country.

So far, I’m increasing the amount of fairtrade products that I buy, I’m a signatory to various campaigns to forgive third world debt, I donate to Oxfam which funds (amongst other things) comprehensive HIV/Aids prevention education free from US interference.

I’m British, and I cannot change my countries colonial past, and in places like Zimbabwe the past negates any efforts that we do to improve things. What else should I be doing?

FrugalNYC Says:

October 16th, 2008, 8:22 am

This post has very good intentions and I think spreading the message is a step forward. I do believe in giving, and do so on a regular basis. What charity I give to is something that I personally believe in, something I believe will help us all today, and all future generations. I think no matter if its time, labor or money; people will give to what they believe in. At this time, most Americans are too worried about their own finances and future. Personally, I think the US will get through this fine, but then again, I don’t need to retire with half my 401k or IRA account gone.

Getting back to the subject, unless we can personally identify with a problem, we will not give 100% of ourselves to the cause. There are the exceptions of course. As I said, getting this information out to those who can help is a good step toward that goal. Seeing that Leo has such a diverse international following, its definitely one step forward. I hope each one of us will do what we can to aid such causes, and to help spread the message.

Alexander Gieg Says:

October 16th, 2008, 8:36 am

Sorry, but you’re mostly wrong. I live in a country that’s still “3rd world” but slowly growing out of it (Brazil), and many of the solutions you suggest have been attempted here with little to no success. For example, back in the early ’90s the “1st world” extended us an extremely generous debt relief. Guess what happened? By the end of the ’90s we were back at our early debt level, because our government saw the debt cut as a good way to… make more loans. We didn’t have a second debt cut extended to us, and that forced the Brazilian government to do the unthinkable: expend wisely and save money. End result: *now* we’re out of debt and in a position to resist fairly to the coming recession. We’ll suffer it, yes, but not as bad as we would have previously.

The notion that we were/are in trouble *because* of USA is laughable. No, except for natural disasters and all-out war (neither of which, by the way, happened over here in the last 150 years, so we don’t have even that excuse), all our troubles were direct results of our very own actions. Do repeated mistakes, ignore good advice, look at the example of countries that succeeded but refuse to follow them thinking your country is somehow “different” (it isn’t), end with the necessary bad results. In fact, the *very* moment we started following good economic practices we started getting better. It isn’t magic, it isn’t a matter of receiving external charity. It’s a matter of working hard to reach the outcome of hard work.

As for the IMF, World Bank etc., they offer money in exchange of changes. No country is obliged to accept. No country *needs* this money. They all can work themselves out of whatever situation they’re in, they only must want to. If they don’t want to, if they prefer the easy way of taking the free money in exchange for such and such demanded changes, no one can blame any side.

No, the “1st world” isn’t the reason for “3rd world’s” poverty. We 3rd-worlders ourselves, we alone, are responsible for our situation. No one else is.

Amie Gillingham Says:

October 16th, 2008, 10:10 am

I read a LOT of Blog Action Day posts yesterday and today. I even wrote one of my own. But I have to say, this was THE most powerful post I read of the lot of them. Thank you for your eloquence, Leo.

'Biodun DJF Says:

October 16th, 2008, 11:25 am

This is detailed enough as it can be and i really appreciate the writer. Am from one the third world countries and everything that was enumerated above as reasons for the cause of are real and its still happening we can only pray and hope things will change and get better. The most important thing the first world nations can do for us is to give aid not just in material things but also Education. Please keep up the good works as we all contribute to the survival of other nations. Thank you for your Concern and Generosity.

Veronica Says:

October 16th, 2008, 12:12 pm

I am very disappointed with your politically charged and horrible view point. I was a big fan of zen habits. I tend to think the US is the very reason the third world countries are not WORSE off. We feed them. We support them. We stand up for their freedom in war and we do a thousand other goods for them. Shame on you to think so wrongly of the gratitude they should owe Americans. Regretfully yours from a previous reader.

Kelly74 Says:

October 16th, 2008, 12:22 pm

It is extremely sad that people go hungry, but if there is already overpopulation and little resources…maybe we should focus on birth control education and it would limit alot of the problem

Beth Partin Says:

October 16th, 2008, 12:25 pm

Leo,

thank you so much for this post. It was wonderful. I’d just like to add a couple of things.

“Structural adjustment programs” are on their way out all over the world. In South America, Hugo Chavez (very much disliked in the United States) has bought up some IMF loans. I read one book recently that suggested that the IMF may run out of money because countries are paying off their debts. I’m thinking the IMF going away might be a good thing. These “Bretton Woods” institutions were always designed for rich countries with lots of infrastructure, not poor ones.

It’s very important that we develop local agriculture all over the world. Even in the United States, the tendency to export food (even to another part of the country) makes it difficult for farmers to earn a living. When they start producing food for local markets, however, they start making more money.

I would like to recommend the Heifer Project as a charitable organization, and Yes! magazine as a place for ideas.

jd clark Says:

October 16th, 2008, 12:34 pm

“It is rarely ever said that we, the United States and other industrialized nations of the world, are responsible for the deaths” : the west and the US in particular are accused on a near daily basis for the suffering in other countries. We rarely if ever get credit for the problems we solve and the money we spend helping 3rd world countries. How much did the US give Africa for AIDS, 15 billion? how much did the balance of the planet contribute?

Mark Keating Says:

October 16th, 2008, 12:36 pm

Leo:

Great post. Thank you for speaking out on this issue.

Samira al Thores Says:

October 16th, 2008, 12:37 pm

Great post. In response to Ryan’s comment about providing business opportunities, I’d like to point readers to:

http://www.kiva.org

Kiva’s mission is to connect people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty. Kiva is the world’s first person-to-person micro-lending website, empowering individuals to lend directly to unique entrepreneurs in the developing world.

Maya Says:

October 16th, 2008, 12:45 pm

Thank you for this simple yet powerful article.

I urge everyone to take a day, an hour or a few minutes to connect with poverty - go spend some time with the really poor people and children in your neighborhoods or in other countries (if possible at all). I can promise that once we have all done that we will help because we WANT to and not to get credit from it.

And no matter what anyone says, the person/people you help will ALWAYS be grateful to you for what you did.

Saravanan Says:

October 16th, 2008, 12:52 pm

Leo,

I really don’t know what to say. I live in India and I have personally seen people struggle to make the ends meet. I appreciate your thoughts and also the blog action day regarding poverty theme. Since you have a large audience it would be better if you ask them to help the downtrodden by giving them some kind of job and not money. I really don’t appreciate anyone of you to give money to some charity organization since I am sure that not the entire amount that is given in good faith reaches the exact people for whom it was destined.

I really don’t understand the political and economical reforms that you have said hence I don’t wish to comment on it.

People out there, a request from me to you all is “Teach the person fishing rather than giving him a fish.” It would solve his hunger today but not tomorrow. Think about it.

Leo great post to start your action against poverty.

Timothy Says:

October 16th, 2008, 13:00 pm

Saying that there are some things we can do to help remedy Third-World poverty is probably correct, though these proposed solutions are not as easy or obvious as they may seem.

But saying that the First World is responsible for Thirld-World poverty is just absolute nonsense.

People are responsible for their own successes and failures. In general, over time, nations and peoples succeed or fail based on their own behaviors.

Blaming the developed world for the failures in the undeveloped world is both wrong and irresponsible–wrong, because it is incorrect, and irresponsible, because it encourages undeveloped countries to continue to avoid taking responsibility for their own behavior and to continue blaming someone else for their own failures.

One good way to help undeveloped countries would be to stop blaming their failures on the West.

Stephane Says:

October 16th, 2008, 13:04 pm

If we acknowledge that all these terrible things happens in
the world so we can live the kind of life we live in first world
countries.

Anotheway to behave would be to act more responsibly :
- Live more simply
- Not consume food imported from third world countries
- Eating less meat
- Consume as much as possible locally produced goods (food and else)
- Buy faitrade rather than something else
- …

We must start to live and educate people to live sustainably within our means today.

And maybe with technology rather than slavery we’ll be able to get back this comfortable lifestyle tomorrow, but not at the expense of the rest of the planet.

Brooklynchick Says:

October 16th, 2008, 13:37 pm

One of my favorite, most transparent charities working on this issue is the One Acre Fund - they work with small farmers in Africa. Check them out;

http://www.oneacrefund.org/

Gail Robey Says:

October 16th, 2008, 13:47 pm

Thanks for writing about this important topic. I hope that at some point, you also write about poverty, homelessness and hunger in this country. I think we are generous when it comes to providing money and services to the third world, but what about taking care of our own? That apparently is not a popular cause. Maybe we are embarrassed about it. I think it would be great if you would consider championing that cause!
Thanks,
Gail

Tony Says:

October 16th, 2008, 14:12 pm

As you say, the statistics are overwhelming.

http://www.miniature-earth.com/me_english.htm is a powerful video that puts some of the figures across in a simple, but very effective way.

By definition, anyone reading this blog is one of the wealthiest people on the planet, despite the credit crunch. So do something to help someone else!

Henry Says:

October 16th, 2008, 14:20 pm

Are there no bright ideas to lessen poverty without redistributing wealth by force?

Just to be clear - Are “equality” and “justice” only reached when everyone on Earth has the same amount of resources?

I want clean water, air, food, abundant opportunities, health care, justice, fraternity, equality, liberty for everyone, too. But forcibly taking from one person to give to another is not “charitable.”

I have found Americans to be very charitable and generous (even if we, like all people, have some traits and practices that are not virtuous). But, our Congress actually does not even have the Constitutional authority to collect and disperse taxes from citizens in order to make charitable donations.

In any event, when one calculates the percentage of U.S. charitable giving, it is reasonable to include those of non-government, private, independent, religious and other sources.

We definitely must end IMF, World Bank and other organizations from using debt to rob and ruin peoples and countries. (Read “Confessions of An Economic Hit Man,” for starters. Try “The Creature From Jekyll Island” next for a little insight on the U.S.’s own central bank.)

In summary, yes, let’s help people in need, our brothers and sisters wherever they are, but let’s not rob by force from one person to “end poverty.”

Do you not believe in the goodness of humankind enough to think we can do well and do better without the threat of force?

Dave Says:

October 16th, 2008, 15:01 pm

This is hands-down the worst, most offensive article I’ve ever read from a major personal development blog. The tilte alone is a complete outrage. The poor of the third world are not in that condition becasue of anything I’ve done. The fact that I happen to be an American doesn’t make me responsible.

Indeed, I suspect this particular blog post is really nothing more than a prop to allow Leo to put down the American way of life and attack the “unfairness” of our free enterprise system.

Zen Habits is still my favorite blog, but boy, what a misguided post.

John Says:

October 16th, 2008, 15:31 pm

I appreciate the desire to help others, but I don’t agree with these conclusions. A person takes responsibilty of a problem in order to take control of a problem. Will this view of us being responsible, solve the problems of others, or reinforce our efforts to control others? Isn’t your message that our efforts to control are the cause of others’ problems? The view here seems to perpetuate the cycle it criticizes.

chris Says:

October 16th, 2008, 15:59 pm

Aren’t the majority if not all of the countries that are so called Third World were one point or another a colony of the G8?

Yes the industrialized nations are responsible for starting the decline of most of the Third World nations. It takes a while to rebuild a nation’s culture and psyche.

In order for poverty to be eliminated, the G8 countries have to be willing to give up their status, which I know will never happened.

Look at our country, the United States, we always talk about freedom, equality and equal opportunity. However, when something tragic happens, like 9/11, we suppress the very same thing we advocate and we punish the world indiscriminately.

Jess Says:

October 16th, 2008, 16:30 pm

This post wouldn’t have anything to do with “socializing” Senate Bill 2433, the “Global Poverty Act” that would make the U.S. President responsible for spending tax dollars to cut world poverty in half by 2015, would it?

People, please haven’t we learned yet: the ends do not justify the means.

A righteous goal cannot be achieved by evil means.

Let call individuals and private groups like churches, synagogues, temples, mosques, etc. to this worthy task rather than impose it on people via government mandate.

KP Says:

October 16th, 2008, 16:34 pm

I truly believe that charity begins at home, and until we stop the hunger, homelessness, lack of educational opportunity, lack of health care accessibility and the whole host of other problems that you mention in 3rd world countries in our OWN country, we are making a sad, sad mistake. If any one of us, in this economy still has the means to help someone, why not help someone down the street instead of some stranger on the other side of the world. Sounds like yet another case of ‘redistributing the wealth’… I truly believe that there are enough people in this country who need our help desparately… lets make it a point to help them first. Once they are helped, we can look at helping the others.

Abe Says:

October 16th, 2008, 17:35 pm

I’d rather we focus on cleaning up our own backyard before trying to stick our noses in other countries’ problems. This is why the world hates America, because we interfere too much. Besides, we can’t help third world countries whose leaders are so corrupt that if we were to forgive debt all of the money would only end up in the dictators’ pockets.

Jim Smith Says:

October 16th, 2008, 17:48 pm

Leo…I read your blog often and enjoy it very much, but I’m convinced that you are wishing upon a star for a 3rd World that almost certainly will never be.

Conditions of famine in Africa are most directly caused by corrupt political leaders who use famine and displacement as a political weapon against their own internal enemies.

Famine and displacement happens because it works!

It happens because it is effective for those who are in power in unstable rule-of-man-not-of-law countries to maintain their own power.

I certainly don’t have a rust-proof, east-to-handle, low calorie, high protein solution to the 3rd world’s woes, but most of the above solutions you’ve mentioned (more money, debt forgiveness, less multinational corporate investment) would almost certainly exacerbate the very troubles you wish to cure and force the people to depend even more on the strongmen that rule them.

Thanks again for all of your efforts at zenhabits!

–Jim–

Maura Says:

October 16th, 2008, 18:20 pm

Hmmm…..I commend all of you die-hard American Patriots for your enthusiasm and national pride. It is true that the US has done much for many. The opposite is also true. As proud US citizens (of which I am one), regardless of your personal actions, you must take responsibility for the actions of your democratic country (as in “democracy”) as well. I implore you to expand your horizons in order to realize that we cannot survive - and have not survived and thrived - alone in this world.

We are interdependent, as individuals as well as a community of nations. We need our global friends just as surely as we need friends in our local, personal communities. And we need to extend a helping hand to those less fortunate than us, if for no other reason than to express our humanity. Otherwise, what are we?

But generosity is a tricky thing… and can be ineffective or destructive when expecting gratitude, giving from a position of power rather than humility, and not respecting the fine line between helping and bullying.

To those that responded to my earlier post, thank you. I appreciate all of your wonderful thoughts and ideas. There is hope…

kdor Says:

October 16th, 2008, 19:11 pm

Leo,
I read as many of the posts as I could and was pleasantly surprised to see so many that refuted the whole premise that the industrialized (first) world was responsible for third world poverty and by implication that the US should kiss the boo-boo and make it all right with our money.

The US gives more than any other nation on Earth per capita. Just a small example of the skew. The US government sent x billions of dollars for tsunami relief and so many cried that it was not enough. In reality US citizens, businesses and private organizations gave 10 times what the government sent. The statistic was based on government largess and the private charity was ignored.

The same occurs everywhere in the world whether it’s Darfur, Chad, Eritrea, Haiti or even Iran. In most cases, even outright aid is hampered by local inefficiency disorganization, political and religious strife and just plain old corruption. All local conditions that has to be solved locally. A number of years ago in the eastern sub-Sahara famine thousands of tons of relief aid rotted when the local governments could not or would not distribute. As we just saw in Burma the junta stole the typhoon aid they were sent and either subverted it to feed their armies or meagerly doled it out to increase their own in-country image. Some of the worst off outright refuse physical aid for religious and political reasons.Sending money is akin to charity to a drunk. The local strongman usually ends up with the new armored Mercedes and the children still starve.

In reality, as we have just seen. the US money supply is tissue thin. Most of our wealth is owed to and owned by China. I have never heard of them providing aid to the third world without a ideological quid pro quo. No altruism there.

On the issue of overpopulation the common observation is that solid free market development of local resources, manufacturing and intellectual resources always leads to depopulation. Witness the industrialized West, Europe, Japan, and Korea.

This leads to the pure cultural aspect. Why are so many impoverished countries dominated by religious and political dictators? Why do they put up with genocidal attacks and deprivation of resources? Why don’t we see the legitimate revolutions that should happen? Why are they so cowed by tinpot warlords who steal and squander otherwise rich resources? Why does socialism seem so tempting but always end up causing death and destruction, over and over and over? You’d think mankind would learn. I won’t quote Santayana, but his observation is always true. That is the real nature of third world poverty and no amount of handouts down the rat hole will solve the situation without the locals deciding to break their fear habit. 30 day challenge, eh?

Dave Hune Says:

October 16th, 2008, 19:17 pm

Leo, please create better validation for this form - I just wrote a lengthy comment and couldn’t get it back after forgetting to put my email.

It’s an interesting subject, but I disagree in some points (too tired to write all again), and would say that empowering people is the most important for future success. Give people the possibility to create a clean green future and let them promote their own innovations as much as possible. Let them use and trade their natural resources at prices they are worth instead of letting greedy westerners decide prices. Let sites like myC4.com help people, instead of only giving without seeing where the money goes - transparency is key!

Maya Says:

October 16th, 2008, 19:24 pm

@Maura - You have said it very well. We all need to do our bit for the sake of humanity. If you have more of something then give it to someone who needs it more than you do. And do it because you want to and know that the good karma will come around, back to you in the most unexpected of ways.
It is all fine for us to talk about who is the cause for what but honestly, people in extreme poverty are wondering about their next meal. Let us think and act forward - help anyone you truly desire to help in a way that you truly believe in - poverty knows no borders.

Counting Mouths Says:

October 16th, 2008, 19:27 pm

Can someone give me an example of one other country in the world that can match the USA in giving-per-GDP, can even come close to charitable giving per capita, volunteers to risk life to provide liberty, and does not seek to occupy the land of others.

I’ll be waiting. The worst countries are the communists based takers and the Arab world (disgusting wealth with zero charitable aid).

Liara Covert Says:

October 16th, 2008, 20:18 pm

This is an encouraging reflection. You remind people that how they think on a basic level also makes a difference. You need not be a politician or policy maker to share love and forgiveness with everyone you meet. This generates a positive vibration which can evolve to have a domino effect.

Julia Says:

October 16th, 2008, 21:11 pm

I also recommend Avaaz.org which is an international site that was based on a very popular model here in Australia called Getup. Getup.org.au started as a simple site that allowed people to sign petitions on issues they felt strongly about. It then went on to facilitate adverting in the election campaigns of 2007 to focus on key issues relevant to members of Getup, and got thousands of people campaigning in the Federal election to educate them about the party/s that would scrap unfair labour laws, and establish a proactive environmental policy for Australia, amongst other issues.

Getup has been incredibly successful, and continues to campaign on a variety of issues, and keep elected officials to their campaign promises. Avaaz.org is an international version of Getup, which I believe was established by the people who set up Getup in the first place.

I highly recommend both of these organisations - it can be as simple as signing a petition, or sometimes require a little extra effort. But many voices can have a dramatic impact.

Getup, along with the Your Rights At Work campaign, basically changed the face of the Australian electoral campaign last year, and helped to get rid of the right-wing government who had slashed workers rights and refused to commit to a sustainable future. Our new government has already made steps to overcome both of these issues.

Leo Says:

October 16th, 2008, 22:23 pm

@Counting Mouths: Actually, the U.S. isn’t even in the Top 20 for economic development aid per GDP. We barely make the Top 20 when you look at per capita.

The Development Assistance Committee of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development compiles statistics on how much Official Development Assistance the world’s 22 wealthiest countries give each year. The organization’s numbers show that as a portion of Gross National Income (roughly equivalent to GDP), the U.S. now ranks second-to-last in giving, at 0.16 percent. (In 2004, Italy dropped into last place below the U.S.) Here’s a pdf of the most recent stats — U.S. is among the lowest of development aid per GNI.

The U.S. also gives much less than what the industrialized countries pledged to give at the 1992 Rio Conference, which was 0.7 percent of their GDP. U.S. development aid, at 0.16 percent of GDP, represents less than one-quarter of this promise.

But really, this isn’t the point of the article. Yes, there has been much aid given. However, more can be given … and it can be given in ways that benefit these countries in a better way. Currently aid is being deployed in ways that make Third World countries dependent on continued aid, instead of helping them to be self-sufficient.

And more importantly, the U.S. and other countries (but especially the U.S.) can stop forcing poor countries to accept their free market philosophy and forcing them to allow corporations to buy off and deplete assets and resources.

Cherry Says:

October 16th, 2008, 23:04 pm

The title alone is most offensive and ignorant. Sorry, I don’t believe that “we” are responsible for all of the third-world’s troubles. The fact is, the US does more for these countries than any other nation. We can’t police the world nor can we fix everybody’s problems. We have enough of our own.

I agree with the person who said they’d rather spend their time and money helping fellow Americans before sending money to a country that will only end up in some brutal dictator’s coffer. Charity begins at home.

Art Says:

October 16th, 2008, 23:05 pm

A lot of our aid dollars, which are the highest in the world, end up down a rathole of corruption and inefficiency. It’s probably wasteful spending as the same resources could be used to better our country and help our own.

Once your hand is out, you are now in a position where you have to accept some qualification for the aid.

It’s not all bad news.. I did come across this paragraph in a NYT article on giving aid:

“It is trade, however, that is the primary engine for economic development. The best proof is from some nations in Asia. Four decades ago, Asian countries were among the poorest in the world. They varied widely in their political systems, but the common theme among the economically successful countries was their engagement with the world trading system. The results have been extraordinary. In 1960 South Korea was as poor as India. Today its per capita income is 20 times higher than India’s.”

It can be done and takes time. Personal responsibility plays into everything as well. People the world over have to demand more of their leaders and more of themselves to stand up and press for change.

I can’t help but finish with tooting our horn again. We give more money, time, resources, and knowhow than anyone else in the world. On top of that, we champion democracy and stand up against terrorism. If you factor that into the equation, no one else even comes close.

It’s not about getting recognition. People’s hearts are definitely in the right place. Our private charities are very broad and helpful and efficient. But it would be nice if the world (and I say that in a general sense) was more appreciative.

Dumb Darwin Says:

October 16th, 2008, 23:16 pm

I’m gaining different insights from all the opinion posted on this article. Never thought blogging could be such a mjor force for social awareness.

Usman Says:

October 16th, 2008, 23:36 pm

Corruption should go at the top. One can do more or less nothing because a vast majority of the government officials just don’t give a **** about anyone else.

Dfish Says:

October 16th, 2008, 23:55 pm

This is really an honest-to-goodness view on poverty in the Third World. The inequality between rich nations and poor nations is so stark and the liberalization project really has aggravated it. Rich nations have much to offer and I believe the first in the order is to stop exploiting the resources - both natural