Alan H wrote:I'm not sure you're agreeing that there is a catastrophe that needs sorted.
I thought you were referring to the recession, but appreciate you in fact meant something different.
My criticisms are 2-fold: first, that the solutions proposed are either hopelessly vague, completely impossible or downright counter-productive, and second, that the BHA seems to be linked to them.
However, perhaps it's high time for the economists or whoever have the knowledge to make a difference to come up with decent solutions to the world's problems and end the needless catastrophe that I've highlighted before where people are dying every minute or so for want of food and clean water.
Quite so. But it is not capitalism which has caused the problem, and it cannot be solved without political change. Eg, the end of endemic corruption, confidence in the rule of law, the end of despotism and tribalism are all necessary conditions for progress to be made. Also, sometimes, an end to the restrictive practices which are supposed to help the poor. For example, India is blocking investment by supernmarket groups, in order to protect small businesses. Result: lack of effective distribution channels, which means that prices are higher for the poor, and 25% of all food is wasted. This is criminal. Sure, some people will have to find alternative work,which will probably be painful for them, but cheaper, healthier food, which generates taxable profits which can be spent on infrastructure, eg clean water, is being prevented by the government itself.
There is little I - and many others - can do except donate to various charities, like Oxfam, the Red Cross and Save the Children, while we wait, patiently or otherwise, for others who can come up with a solution to do something that will make a substantial difference.
As we have seen in the Arab Spring, ultimately the solutions must come from the countries themselves; we cannot impose solutions upon them. I too donate, especially to Oxfam.
While the current system tinkers around the edges of world poverty (while the west - and particularly the rich - get richer) and possibly makes a small difference, it is painfully slow. Well, not that painful for us in the west really, but deadly painful for those in the third world.
THe wealth of the West is not the cause of the poverty of the rest. Growth rates in Africa are in the region of 6-8% per annum, post 2008. Where this is not so, it is generally because of conflict. There are limits to what is possible without a new neo-colonial system. Sure, things aren't perfect, but such a growth rate implies a quadrupling of GDP in a generation.
The solution isn't the current system that might help in 50, 100, 200 years or who knows how long. That is way too long. While we wait and get on with our lives, millions die. I don't want wringing of hands; I want to see action being taken - action that will get humanity moving towards a more equal world.
Take Nigeria, for example; possibly the most entrepreneurial in Africa. Their principal problems are corruption and religious/tribal conflict, not the capitalist west.
Oh! And if that means that I'm worse off, then so be it. If my 'suffering' was endured in the certain knowledge that others have the means to survive the rest of the day, then that is something we should all be willing to gladly endure.
As I've said before, you don't make the poor rich by making the rich poor. At least you will applaud the Coalition for maintaining the Overseas Aid budget. (Except that NGO's very often seem to have better outcomes.... Hmmm....)
Am I impatient? You bet I am.
Me too.
Now: what's the solution that starts to bring significant improvements to those that are due to die today, tomorrow, next week and this year, or even just this generation?
Whatever it is, it should not be for the BHA to propose the solution. I would expect humanists to be concerned, of course, and I would also expect them to support whatever solution they think fit, but in the same way that we dislike "Christian" charities, I do not think it is for the BHA to ally itself to specific campaigns, especially not when they are as barking as this one is.