In a recent article, Yuba Nath Lamsal describes Nepal’s commitment to meet the UN’s MDGs. In it, she makes a very valuable point about global poverty which I now quote:
“Faster economic growth is a key to reducing poverty. However, economic growth alone does not reduce or alleviate poverty which has been the case in several Asian and African countries. The fair and judicious distribution of wealth and guarantee of equal access to resources for all along with people-focused policies are necessary for sustainable development and poverty reduction.”
We need to realize the truth of the above statement, and act accordingly. More than not, poverty, hunger, and homelessness results from unfair distribution of resources, not a lack of resources. Indeed, as a global community, we have more than enough food for everyone in the world, and we have the resources and technology to deliver the food to everyone. Similarly, we have more than enough resources for everyone to have clothes, shelter, healthcare, and education.
We need to change the social, economic, and political structures, in such a way that everyone has access to food, clothes, shelter, education, and healthcare. We can do this by eliminating the non-meritocratic constraints of the status quo, in which social class determines a person’s success, rather than the person’s character.