Why So Many Poor In A World Of Riches?
By joyce2156
@joyce2156 (2)
Philippines
October 22, 2007 8:13am CST
We live in a prosperous world. Do you find that hard to believe? Actually, some nations cannot spend all their money. It has been estimated that the 2005 gross world product, the total value of goods and services produced in that year, exceeds $60 trillion. That vast production, spread over earth's population, comes to about $9,000 for each person now alive. And it is increasing. But global prosperity is part of a great irony. According to recent United Nations publication, the wealth of the world's three riches individuals is greater than the combined gross domestic product of the 48 poorest nations. And the UN Development Programme states that 2.5 billion people are trying to survive on less than $2 a day. Hundreds of millions are under-nourished and cannot obtain clean drinking water. In the United States, sociologists are studying a group they term the "near poor." The risk of such ones falling into poverty is great. Over 50 million people there find themselves in that condition despite the country's great wealth. Why is it that worldwide a flood of money is pouring into treasuries and bank accounts but a flood of misery still covers hundreds of millions of poor people? Why do so many have so little opportunity to benefit from the world's growing wealth?
4 responses
@venkatcse (234)
• India
23 Oct 07
Its May be due to Black Economy, thats running in underground. If everyone pay regular taxes to the corresponding income and wealth they have, and if corruptions ends then there wont be such difference of rich and poor.
@miaocecilia (80)
• China
23 Oct 07
this is reality,a lot ppl are living desperately.it's been lots of riches contributed for poor pple.but the number of ppl who need helps are to large,it needs time to get to the place still with starving.
@raijin (10345)
• Philippines
22 Oct 07
I guess that's reality, many would consider themselves rich yet they won't even share them to those who badly needs help. Money mostly ends up on those fundamental capitalists who sucks every cent they can, then put it on their own personal account and continue on pouncing until they get everything they wanted. It's almost as the same laundering, the only differnece is they only make it legal.
If opportunity are given fairly, then I think everyone would have a life to enjoy.
@laylomo (165)
• United States
23 Oct 07
To add on to what you've said, the majority of American wealth resides among the "economic elite"; that is, about 6-10% of the country. These people continuously get richer - their children are guaranteed to the best schools (Harvard, Yale, Brown). It takes money to make money, and that's exactly what they have. While the rest of us suffer, working meaningless jobs for mediocre pay, the poverty line is rising.
I love harping on President Bush. Why? Because he creates tax cuts and so many incentives for the rich. The poor can't seem to catch a break - looking back at President Reagan, he was able to cut taxes and semi-effective encourage commerce. But the current economic gap between the rich and middle class is as wide as the grand canyon.
Until the government, as well as the upper rung of society, open up ways for the people to succeed and move up, the United States is doomed for destruction.
On a global level, however, the problem is much harder to solve. Many areas that are highly improvised are stuck in some sort of conflict. There needs to be new opportunities opening (i.e. how some parts of China developed from rural to urban). But most of the countries in question don't have the means to do that. Again, it's up the international community, especially those with the economic means, to start new programs in these areas.
