Wealth, Poverty, and Morality (page 14)

SecondRateMind

2. By destroying resource allocation (not allocating through prices by rather some arbritrary calculation) thereby introducing the calculation problem almost overnight, wiping out the capital in all investment, as well as a massive motivational problem.

This is to misunderstand my position, as I hope the two posts above will help demonstrate. Nothing I propose will wipe out capital, just distribute it more equitably. Nothing I propose involves arbitrary calculations, just a whole load of people helping out a whole load of other people. Nothing I propose will destroy motivation, unless you are so crass as to suppose that the only motivation that matters is selfish, personal, financial gain.

Best wishes, 2RM

SecondRateMind

The "problem" your solution introduces is that nature will re-establish the disproportion pretty much immediately.

Anony Mous, indeed it might. But my hope is, by hitting the economic reset button decisively real soon now, at least absolute poverty stands a reasonable chance of being eradicated, once and for all. If that happens, why, then it will be the time for the rich to party! But not until then.

Best wishes, 2RM

LoveUniHateExams

I am not proposing anyone steals anything. Only a massive charitable effort, on behalf of the rich, to succour the poor - there's absolutely nothing wrong with rich people giving their money to poor people.

But it should be optional only. If stinking rich people want to keep their money for themselves, that's legal and morally acceptable, too.

The people responsible for the poor are:

1. poor people themselves

2. the governments they live under.

For example, all those brutal, greedy African kleptocrats should be much more vigilant in making sure the billions of aid money trickles down to their needy people.

All those billionaire oil-rich sheikhs should help their poor Arab brothers.

The poor people of the world do need help.

A spiritual solution (what you seem to be proposing) is impossible; the only possible solution is a political solution.

_Morpheus

So venezuela is doubling minimum wage 😂😂😂😂 leftist ideas working so so well

https://mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idUSKBN1I11V9

Xanthippe

The people responsible for the poor are:
1. poor people themselves
2. the governments they live under.

Do you really believe this, honestly? So you never give to charities like Oxfam? The worst thing about being in that cult in the eighties was seeing the Ethiopian famine on TV but being told not to donate to famine relief. I felt really bad about that after leaving.

I think helping the poor is everyone's responsibility just as it would be if you knew them personally. Would you let kids with pot bellies and stick limbs starve if they lived in your street? It doesn't make any difference that we don't know them.

Perhaps I'm misunderstanding your post but I hope you do believe in famine relief, and making the world fairer for everyone. Some desperately poor people just need a leg up to work their way out of poverty.

LoveUniHateExams

Do you really believe this, honestly? - yes, I do. We've had decades of Oxfam, Comic Relief, foreign aid to dictators, etc. and still there are millions upon millions of desperately poor people.

Something is seriously wrong.

A new approach may be required.

Have you heard of Dambisa Moyo? Please look her up and give her a read.

She's an intelligent, highly educated woman who makes some good points.

So you never give to charities like Oxfam? - that is correct. I don't give money to charities. I have done voluntary work at Cancer Research UK. I don't mind that.

I'm actually quite poor - I'm not worth much, financially speaking.

ATM, I regard what money I have as strictly mine, for my benefit only.

My dad inherited £280,000 from my maternal grandmother. Let that c**t donate money to charity. Or, being 70, he can just die.

Either's ok with me.

never a jw

Secondratemind

"wealth is the surest divider between those who are moral, and those who are not"

Yours is second rate mind

Xanthippe

We've had decades of Oxfam, Comic Relief, foreign aid to dictators, etc. and still there are millions upon millions of desperately poor people.
Something is seriously wrong.

Complex problems take time. You've done voluntary work for Cancer Research? Cancer research was founded in 1902. People are still dying of cancer.

LoveUniHateExams

Cancer research was founded in 1902. People are still dying of cancer - this is true.

Cancer Research raises money so that scientists can work on discovering new treatments and even a cure. There's no other way of defeating cancer.

Beating cancer should be more difficult that helping poor people - after all, we have yet to discover a cure for cancer. We know the cure for the starving poor - food and drink.

The West has for decades trusted an assortment of African dictators, despots and kleptocats with billions of pounds.

Something's wrong.

If people want to donate money to charity, ok fine, it does alleviate suffering. But you must realise that this isn't a long term solution. It's papering over the cracks.

_Morpheus

I think helping the poor is everyone's responsibility just as it would be if you knew them personally. Would you let kids with pot bellies and stick limbs starve if they lived in your street? It doesn't make any difference that we don't know them.

heres the difference: if i help poor kids on my street i have great lattitude on what gets done. Maybe i cook a few meals. Maybe i buy needed groceries or offer transportation to a doctor etc etc... its real, practical help based on what that individual or individuals need. You are talking donations to charities in other countries rife with fraud and waste. Independent reports on those organization show pennies on the dollar are used for the people they claim to be intended for... its pointless and useless. Its also indicative of “feel good” politics. Without fixing the fundamental problems of the countries themselves nothing will ever change.

Wealth, Poverty, and Morality

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