Can Jeffrey Sachs End Global Poverty - Research Paper Example

Can Jeffrey Sachs End Global Poverty? 1. Global poverty is an issue faced by many nations and should be tackled with some of the recommendations that Jeffrey Sachs gives. 2. The policies of economic growth laid down by Jeffrey Sachs can prove to be beneficial if implemented by the richer nations. 3. The United States has a great role to play in eradicating the issue of global poverty from the world. 4. Yes, the U.S should promote global growth by providing the poor nations with the necessary financial aid. 5. Africa is suffering from extreme poverty and U.S should take a stance on tackling the issue of poverty there through which the threats of terrorism can also be decreased. Cons 1. No, the option of economic growth is not the only solution for global poverty prevailing in this world. 2. Along with economic growth it is also necessary that corruption and malice is eradicated from the governments. 3. No, the U.S alone cannot make much of a difference in eradicating the issue of global poverty from this world because of the role that the home government plays. 4. No, financial aid is not the only solution for the eradication and it should be backed by other reforms. Can Jeffrey Sachs End Global Poverty? The debates about poverty and its consequences are getting increasing attention from the authorities, law regulators, politicians, social welfare organizations, policymakers and the public at large. The reasons behind such importance given to the issues of poverty are the unhealthy, inconsistent and unwelcoming consequences of poverty. These consequences affect all areas from the social, psychological, mental and physical health to access quality food, shelter and other basic necessities for people’s lives. Poverty has turned out to be a global issue affecting a great part of the population living in this world. Jeffrey Sachs is a well qualified professor who has classified poverty into three major classes. He believes that individuals either live in extreme poverty, moderate poverty or relative poverty. Sachs put forwards that in the past 25 years economic growth has been witnessed all around the world but this economic growth has not been significant enough to eradicate poverty even from the developed nations. He believes that a balanced economic growth is necessary to eradicate poverty from the world. He has put several points which according to him are necessary to be implemented so that the global poverty can be ended. A question here arises though as to “if Jeffrey Sachs can end global poverty or not?”1 From the 1990s it has been seen that the role of international financial institutions have increased in the global politics. These IFIs are responsible on aiding the poor nations with money which they have to use for economic growth. This economic growth can help in eradicating the roots of poverty. Sachs believes that the rich nations have a special role to play in helping to cut off the roots of poverty. The richest countries of the world like United States can allocate 0.7% of their budget to the poorer nations so that they can prosper and make economic growth. Currently the United States only spends 0.15% in the aid which should be increased by cutting down the defence budgets2. He believes that the country who is participating for a change should make sure that the transformation is really occurring. Lack of commitment by the richer countries can become a hurdle to the progress of economic growth. His emphasis on commitment by the richer nations can be seen in these words “‘The U.S. lack of support for Bolivia was appalling’.3 Jeffrey Sachs blames the United States for the continuing global poverty in this world. He cites that the war against terrorism launched by the United States is a complete failure and can be tackled in other ways too. According to him the issue of terrorism can be tackled if the interest of US was shifted towards international relations rather than on military advancement. The roots of terrorism can be cut out by economic growth and by helping a poor nation to progress the war against terrorism can be successful.4 According to Sachs ‘problem in the United States has not been public opposition to increased foreign assistance, but a lack of political leadership even to inform the public about its importance, and to ask the public for greater efforts’. 5 Sachs also believes that geography of a nation plays a role in the development of global poverty. He believes that access to certain natural entities is necessary for a nation to progress and it is seen that many of the poor nations lack this access. Depleted soil and lack of navigable rivers is cited as one of the condition which may worsen the effects of poverty. He is stated as saying “The combination of Africa’s adverse geography and its extreme poverty creates the worst poverty trap in the world”. Sachs also believes that the eradication of some of the major diseases in the world can play a role in decreasing the level of poverty in this world. Advancement in technology is referred to as a global concern for the poorer nations. Sachs believes that a nation has to progress in technology in order to grow economically and it is necessary that some reforms are introduced to help the poor nations in the advancement of technology 6 Provided with all the reforms that Jeffrey Sachs has recommended several questions are raised regarding the integrity and success of these reforms. Jeffrey Sachs has provided with several intriguing options to eradicate global poverty but they are not enough to eradicate it on a whole. The recommendations that Sachs has provided only seem to apply at the poor living in the poor nations but not on the individuals who are living in the developed nations.7 His theory of injecting aid in the poor nations for economic growth can also be termed as a short sighted goal because currently the aid for these nations is enough to raise their economic level. The hurdles that the country may face while progressing are not covered by Sachs as he does not mention as to how to tackle situations in which the rich countries do not let the poor countries progress. The reason for this can be seen in the low wages of workers in these nations which some individuals in the richer countries would promote. 8 The theories of Sachs revolve around specific states and nations. Sachs does not take into account the history of poor and rich people but rather makes a hasty generalization regarding them. The countries in which these individuals live are targeted by Sachs which in my view does not take into consideration several other factors which are important. The different conditions in which the poor people live are not cited by Sachs because some poor people live in villages while some live in the urban centers. The poor people living in the developed nations are also suffering at the hands of poverty and Sachs does not mention any such scheme to fight off the poverty that they are suffering from.9 In his fight against global poverty Sachs has asked for help from the richer nations. The benefit that he proposes for the richer nations is that global poverty would end along with several other problems such as terrorism. He does not take into consideration other factors which the richer nations would not want to arise. As the richer nations would allocate a specific aid to the poor nations, the poor nations can become strong enough to challenge the authority of the richer nations. Moreover the aid that the poor nations are getting may not be allocated in the right departments to tackle the issue of poverty.10 Sachs does not cite the important reason of education in his campaign against poverty. Education helps in a sustained environment which reflects a brighter future of the country. Education provides an independent opportunity to every individual of the society to find the best ways of using the qualifications and resources available to them in the best way they can. The sustainable development and progress in individual’s position in the society is measured by the increase in income and expenditures made. The income levels rise as the individuals manage to acquire graduation and higher level education from their childhood. Their development and growth in their relevant fields affirms their future prospects and income levels.11 I think that Jeffrey Sachs can play a major role in tackling the issue of global poverty but he still cannot bring an end to the global problem. In order to fight against poverty he has to consider several other factors such as education and corruption. References Iceland, John. Poverty in America: A Handbook. Berkeley: University of California press, 2006. Print. Levin, Henry. The Costs and Benefits of an Excellent Education for All of America's Children. New York, NY: Teachers College, Columbia University, 2006. Print. Top of Form "'the End of Poverty': How Jeffrey D. Sachs Proposes to Cure Global Poverty." Antitrust Law & Economics Review. 33.2 (2006): 45. Print. Top of Form Snowdon, B. "A Global Compact to End Poverty Jeffrey Sachs on Stabilisation, Transition and Weapons of Mass Salvation." World Economics Henley on Thames. 6.4 (2005): 11-68. Print. Top of Form Henwood, D. "A Critique of Jeffrey D. Sachs's the End of Poverty." International Journal of Health Services : Planning, Administration, Evaluation. 36.1 (2006): 197-203. Print. Top of Form Unwin, Tim. "No End to Poverty." Journal of Development Studies. 43.5 (2007): 929-953. Print. Top of Form "Where Markets Don't Work - Economist Jeffrey Sachs Says Eliminating Global Poverty Would Be a Relative Bargain." U.s. News & World Report. 144.11 (2008): 78. Print. Bottom of Form Top of Form Gallup, John, and Jeffrey Sachs. "Development and Poverty in a Global Age - Location, Location - Geography and Economic Development." Harvard International Review. 21.1 (1998): 56. Print. Top of Form Sachs, Jeffrey. The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for Our Time. New York: Penguin Press, 2005. Print. Top of Form Miller, Debra A. Aid to Africa. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2009. Print. Top of Form Devlin, Maureen. Forum Futures 2006: Exploring the Future of Higher Education. Cambridge, Mass: Forum for the Future of Higher Eucation, 2006. Print. Bottom of Form Bottom of Form Bottom of Form Bottom of Form Read More