Do we have a moral responsiblity to help end world poverty?

Question

Should the more affluent help the less affluent? Do you believe in what Peter Singer does..that we should spend that $500 on charitable causes instead of a new Apple Iphone? Or would a better solution...be something like microlending? What is your position on the moral responsibility of each of us to end world poverty?

Answer 1

Yes we do it is our responsibility to help our brothers and sisters in Christ .

Answer 2

Well, the golden rule applies here, do unto others as you would have them do unto you. So with that in mind, yes, it does seem like we have a moral responsibility the help end world poverty and those less fortunate than ourselves. If we were suffering from poverty, we would want someone to help us too, right? Remember the words to that song,"Reach out and touch somebody's hand, make this world a better place, if you can."

It seems at times, like you have to draw the line somewhere, though, like if you kept giving and those you gave to just kept taking and increasing in population and never made an effort to become self sufficient and eventually overran the country where you lived and actually expected you to just give stuff to them for nothing, at some point, you wouldn't want to give to them anymore. At some point, you realize that making the world a better place isn't is as simple as it once was. Easier said than done, as they say.

You have also got to admit, we can only do so much. After you've given away everything you have, you then are also subject to poverty. At some point you have to realize that the very resources that support everything and all of us have to somehow be replenished as well or eventually, and sooner than later, like oil or food, the supply will be exhausted and we'll all be in deep trouble.

Microlending is one of the best ideas I've heard of yet. Give money and resources to help someone become self-sufficient and they also pay you back.

Answer 3

No.

Poverty cannot be ended. Period. It is the silliest of follies even to try.

What we do have a moral responsibility to do is to ease the suffering that abject poverty brings. We can re-allocate certain funds (military comes to mind) for health care and education without having to "sacrifice" our iPhones or other toys.

We in the U.S. can demand that migrant farm workers be paid a living wage. The hard economic cost of such actions would be maybe a 2-cent rise in the price of an average canned good, maybe a little more for fresh foods.

We can demand that CEOs' and other executives' pay is capped at a manageable level, and that corporate profits be re-distributed to the people who make them possible.

But do not think that all the reform in the world will end poverty. Poverty is relative. As long as income and wealth is unequally distributed, the person with less will be "poor", regardless of any other factor.

Answer 4

Moral responsibility? We could end poverty in one generation. Start teaching birth control. Don't they realize if they had fewer kids there would be more food? I get phone calls for donations, circus tickets, magazines, etc. The first question I ask is what percentage of my donation actually goes to the charity. They have to tell you. I give only to charities that are in my area.

Do onto others as you would have them do to you. Does that me we should start executing terrorists by sawing off their heads with a steak knife like they do to us?

Answer 5

It's all about economics and our governments and more importantly the countries that are starving..it depends a lot on their government and what kind it is or if they're even stable enough to have a clear government.

It's complex but basically it is because of greed that most of these people starve. they are being oppressed and the solution lies more in militant based conclusion.


But yes, if it is a legit charity there is no harm in donating and a small difference might be met.

Answer 6

most of the money you donate just goes to pay the head ceo type guy anyways so just buy the computer then you have helped some poor person who made 10 cents an hour making those things...probably does more good anyways since everything is getting made in the phillipines or china or something...

Answer 7

The answer is simply YES. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. If you were starving ..... certainly changes the perspective, doesn't it??