Poverty Eradication discussion

Please base your arguments on facts, theoretical analysis, experience to create a constructive truth-seeking environment - keeping away from "unsubstantiated facebook/twitter-like opinions" and gossip.

Daniel - I wish you well with your new group Poverty Eradication! What an excellent cause. Hopefully, you will find recruits for the group from among Goodreads members.
Best regards from NZ
Lance

Let me kick off this discussion by saying there’s a nefarious hidden agenda at play whereby the ‘generosity’ extended by international aid organisations in assisting the development of the Third World and providing relief in the event of natural disasters comes with serious strings attached. Strings designed to fleece vulnerable nations.

I'm reminded the economic hit men popularized in John Perkins’ 2004 bestseller ‘Confessions of an Economic Hit Man’ are still alive and well – in Africa in particular.

Not sure how many people know at least 21,000 people around the world die from starvation every day. That’s one person every four seconds!

More sickening is the fact such deaths are unnecessary given there is more than enough wealth in the world for everyone to at least receive the basic necessities of life, and more than enough in the Third World for it to organically sustain itself.

There’s as much wealth to be found in the Third World as there is in the First World. In fact, terms like ‘Third World’ and ‘impoverished nations’ are essentially misnomers as they imply wealth and resources are limited in these forgotten places.

I haven't read 'John Perkins’ 2004 bestseller ‘Confessions of an Economic Hit Man’ but added it to my shelf.

In fact Lance, I believe you added a new layer of institutions that so far I overlooked.

World Bank
Oxfam
United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA)
The Borgen Project
The Earth Institute
Engineers Without Borders (EWB)

I question myself, if it is worth keeping an analysis on the efforts within the country rather than looking into international organizations. Doesn’t a country have to have some minimal working systems in place to fight poverty? For instance, if a third world country is highly corrupt, can international help be effective or by giving away resources it will indirectly reach the bad guys strengthening their position?

An example would be Brazil, which in my opinion has all the conditions to eradicate poverty by itself. But how bad budgets, corruption, conflict of interest, poor laws, lack of infrastructure, ineffective democratic institutions, culture, weak education, health and sanitary conditions impact the ability to solve poverty itself. Would it that case international support helps or is it a marginal contribution?

And if we have to pick one fight, what is the one that would have the most meaningful effect? Ex. Changing the constitution, TAX, Government Cost, giving more power to mayors, etc. Would it serve a framework for other countries or is it a case-by-case basis? Would it create a domino effect that would jumpstart other projects as well? How to deal with the politician that will fight it? How to cope with the poor people that won’t believe, because it is just another promise of many of the last years.

Maybe, like in business, a corporation doesn’t have to have all processes, systems and people perfect to be successful, but it must get some very important things right. What are they?

Thanks for the contribution,

Daniel