What can we do to eliminate Poverty?

Question

What should our cities, and Countries do? What do you suggest?

Answer 1

The shape of the "Normal Distribution Curve" never changes; therefore there will always be some degree of poverty.

To eliminate poverty comparative thought would have to be eliminated. Comparing is how the brain determines value.

Poverty is a relative term. Poverty in this country is a good living compared to some areas of the world.

I think our standard of living would be better if we had the death penalty for habitual criminals.

Bulldoze all the prisons over. If  habitual criminals cannot be rehabed to do honest work for a living just kill them. And that goes for the White collar habitual criminals too. Take those investment crooks and hang'em

Answer 2

Poverty, as we understand it classically, is being eliminated at a fairly rapid pace compared to the popular perception. The myth about there being two worlds, the rich and the poor, the haves and have nots, is simply not true anymore.

From a SOCIAL perspective, at the individual level, people in formerly poor countries now have very similar family sizes and number of children per woman to those in rich countries. Access to the internet per capita has also risen greatly in poor countries.

From a GEOPOLITICAL perspective, we've seen the emergence of the "Second World" which is essentially the resource-rich nations like Brazil, OPEC, Russia, the Caucuses, East Europe, South America, South Asia, Turkey. The new model for geopolitics is a flattened landscape in which the new "frenemies" (see Orwell's 1984) are the USA, EU, and China, each competing for and courting deals with for resources with the Second World. Unfortunately, the Second World is often not characterized by a rising middle class, but rather First World characteristics in the city centers and Third World in the country.

And then there's sub-Saharan Africa. But eliminating poverty has always been a combination of a ton of things - family planning (see Mao Ze Dong and Communist Vietnam), investment in infrastructure (see the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Central Asia, and other similar entities), technological advances (see $100 computer, to name one), etc. It's also a problem of a country controlling and having agency over its own natural advantages, and exploiting that at the expense (and also benefit) of rich nations like the new big three.

This could mean that instead of selling illegal coca to the FARC for lack of options in the past, a Colombian farmer can now send his legal crops to China, bypassing prohibitive subsidized North American superfarmers.

This could mean making or breaking Georgia's importance on the world scene, hinged on whether the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline remains under their realm.

This could mean a Peruvian indigenous farmer gets a cheap water pump to greatly increase mango production to feed his family, and even gain disposable income by selling to California instead of cheap local markets.

Globalization is the key. The flattening of the world is the key. And it's happening, so we can all have hope for the world's poor.

Answer 3

To quote a great man: "You will always have the poor among you" (Jesus). Poverty is not something that can ever be gotten rid of.

Answer 4

the rich would have to give to the poor.

Answer 5

go to work, stop crying, stop watching tv, stop looking to the government to support you, and then all who don't follow the above advice should be exterminated!  That will eliminate poverty 4 sure.

For rich people to exist we need poor people, for happy people to exist we need sad people, for fat people to exist we need...... you get it.  Don't be a socialist, don't work for the government.  Be a creator of wealth and start your own business or help one that exists.

Answer 6

I think we are doing what we can.   There is Human Services (welfare), food stamps, church programs, housing programs, heating and cooling programs, SSI.   We have programs out the wazoo.   Some people just don't take advantage of them.   There will ALWAYS be poor people.   I believe it says that in the Bible; the poor will always be with us.   Some out of circumstances, some out of ignorance, some out of laziness, etc, etc, etc.  

Answer 7

Cities:

1) Transportation: public transportation should be affordable and effective. A lot of low income people have transportation problems that make commuting for shift work/day care/grocery shopping/education too time consuming and expensive.

2) Housing: make sure that slumlords are put out of business and that decent housing is available for low income families. Rent control has been shown time and time again to fail, but land concessions, tax concessions, etc for landlords who provide reasonable accommodations for reasonable rates can and should be provided.

3) Recreation: have as many public facilities and activities as possible to help youth fill their time with healthy, educational activities. Any healthy activity that lets kids escape their lower circumstances is preferable to escapism by drugs and crime.

Country:

1) Define poverty: my country has no definition of what poverty is... kind of hard to work to eliminate something when it's not defined.

2) Do social research: I'm a lefty (politically a social democrat), but I am more interested in what works. There have been studies that have positive results that are never followed up. There are other country experiences that can show possible ways to fight poverty that are never considered. But again, do what WORKS... it doesn't matter how it might 'look'. If giving poor people more money for the short term means that they get off the welfare system earlier, then do it... it saves me, the tax payer, money in end. If kids of impoverished families are helped to get education and jobs and end the cycle of poverty for their family, then give them that help. Again, in the long run, it saves everyone money!

3) Invest in education (especially for women) because studies show that (again and again and again) that the return on educational spending is very high.

All this said, I doubt that poverty will ever be totally eradicated. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't try to listen to those affected by this problem and try to find ways to better their situation... in the end, everyone of us, rich and poor,  is better off for it.  

Peace