Ending Poverty

The world is ultimately one village on the long run. The West cannot insulate its prosperity from poverty of the rest of the world. Somehow, one way or the other, either through a migrant crisis, piracy or terrorism, poverty and human deprivation in other parts of the world will impact Europe, America and Australia. Razor wire fences are being constructed to keep the uprooted poor out of the European Union and Republicans talk if building a wall along the Mexican border at the very moment the United Nations meets to agree anti-poverty goals for the next 15 years. In New York nations will solemnly pledge to meet the 17 sustainable development goals, with 169 specific targets, by 2030. They will turn a blind eye to what is actually happening around the world today. While the debate the benefits of the free movement of capital and goods, the wealthier nations will ensure no free movement of labour.

Goals to wipe out extreme poverty drawn up under a panel led by David Cameron are set to be missed, Oxfam has warned. The 2030 target will not be met unless rapid action is taken to tackle inequality, leaving an extra 200 million people unnecessarily living on less than 80 pence a day, according to Oxfam.

Oxfam’s policy and campaigns director Francoise Vanni said: "In 15 years we could live in a world where everyone has the basics they need to get by and care for their families.”…if the world chose to follow Oxfam’s recommended policies - tax reforms, living wages and investment in public healthcare and education.

Sadly, SOYMB says it Oxfam is trying to change the spots on a leopard, Capitalism simply cannot be made to work in the interests of the vast majority. Global charities like Oxfam must stop playing political games and start to seriously address the cause of poverty – the type of economic system we have in our society.

The wage gap between CEO and average workers can reach as much as 300 times. According to JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, income inequality isn’t really a problem.  “It’s not right to say we’re worse off,” Dimon said in response to a question about declining median income. “If you go back 20 years ago, cars were worse, health was worse, you didn’t live as long, the air was worse. People didn’t have iPhones.”

 Capitalism is in a state of denial and always has been. For example, before the mortgage meltdown of 2008, to close the home ownership gap between blacks and whites in the United States, United for a Fair Economy found that it would take 1,664 years, provided business as usual by black voters and business as usual by Republican and Democratic elected officials. Do you have over a thousand years to wait for the end of injustice of inequality?