What's the best way to promote universal increases in standards of living?

Question

How can we actively improve socio-economic circumstances for everyone at the expense of no one, though actions either as individuals or collectively, through business or politics? Alternatively, if you think this might be happening spontaneously, as some sort of historical epiphenomena, explain why or how. Thirdly, if you see a way to that we can finesse the latter with the former, I'm all ears.

Answer 1

A combination of egalitarianism and technology. At the most basic level, there is no real reason why millions of people should be starving to death. Solution: stop subsidizing domestic farmers to destroy surplus crops and instead export them to famine regions. Same with healthcare. Solution: make generic drugs available on a global level. Standards of living don't necessarily mean having a new TV, btw. In many cases, this leads only to decreases in happiness quotient (because people will compare themselves to Madison Ave. standards, even if they live in Bangladesh). Finally, technology has nearly infinite applications, from automation reducing human labor to innovations in living standards (e.g., composting feces rather than dropping it in the nearest stream or ditch).

Answer 2

I think you have gone about your questions the wrong way. Standards of living are only justitfied in cultures that live in a gobalised economy. What about the communities and cultures that do not use or need money? Is an increase in wages, production and employment going to increase pollution and affect the environment that these communities live in?

So an increase in standards of living in some countries on paper may actually decrease standards of living in the eyes of other cultures due to pollution effects on their environment, making us go back to square one.

But the best way to promote standards of living in those countries who use trade is to increase the standard of living in 2nd and 3rd world countries through the stoppage of such things as NAFTA and CAP (common agr policy) which is in the EU. This would bring about changing these levels so these people would reach our level, thus reducing the gap. But this of course will not happen as we are too greedy.

Hope this helps!! =)

Answer 3

There is no way to "universally" increase the standard of living. As one advantaged socio-economic group goes up, another goes down. For example: As the standard of living, due to American outsourcing, in China goes up. The standard of living here in the US will go down. It won't happen overnight, but it will happen. As the average Chinese worker starts to make more money they will start to purchase more items that aren't essential, such as TV's, microwaves,etc... These items won't be made here in the states. They'll be made in another impoverished country, such as Indonesia. In turn, now the Indonesian worker will make more money then he did in the past, and they will also start to purchase non-essential items, and on, and on. As these foreign countries standard of living increases, the standard of living in the US will go down, because these non-essential items are no longer items made in the US, thus the US worker (on average) will have less money, hence our standard goes down. I'm not saying I wouldn't do the same thing if I was the CEO of a corporation. As the CEO you have to protect the assets of the company by protecting the intrests of your shareholders. It's an inevitable cycle of events that's already been put in motion. I know this didn't answer your specific question, but I don't think there is one.

Answer 4

A massive, world-wide strike would probably do it. But that's unlikely. Protests, but, mind you, keep it peaceful or people won't think anything more of you than a bunch of crazy radicals. I'd go with setting up a nation-wide protest or day where everyone just walks out of work for a day and see how you do on that. Just keep on trying and eventually you'll be able to get the message across to the government of your country.

Answer 5

“Few men desire liberty. The majority are satisfied with a just master.”
-Sallust

We could always try liberty. It really works, I promise.
.

Answer 6

well... credit does that... bus how long it will be sustainable... nobody knows