The State of Poverty

Topic 

The State of Poverty

Instructions 

Read:

  1. US President Donald Trump, Speech to Congress, Feb 2017 (begins 1.09.00).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOSaIvkDO6g&feature=youtu.be&t=4140

  1. Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers keynote speech at WEF opening ceremony.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOrQOyAPUi4

Points to review:

  • How do you think Donald Trump would reply to Xi Jinping’s points?
  • How might Xi Jinping justify globalisation to a US audience?

Answer Preview 

To alleviate global poverty, development aid should be limited. While believers of development aid such as Bill and Melinda believe in providing essential facilities, improving technology and productivity and ensuring better financial institutions, critics such as Dambisa Moyo believes this is a catalyst to poverty. Moyo’s argument is more compelling because continued dependence on aid reduces a government’s focus on development, and intensifies overdependence on external assistance. Instead of dependence on aid, poor countries should protect local industries to ensure growth and participate in international trade to maximize wealth. Consistent with Moyo’s argument, aid as currently established does not provide a long-term solution to poverty. Rather, it creates temporary solutions for long-lasting problems. It is critical to creating incentives for private enterprises to grow at the domestic level, creating employment and profit.

Word Count: 450