Other readers can skip the next paragraph while I have a quick word with Boaz.

Thank you for your remarks, Boaz. I'm glad you appreciate that I "look at the big picture.. see the obvious flaws, and capture it all very well". I might suggest that I apply the same talents to "other matters", it is simply that you disagree with me on those.

Back to the topic.

My concern with articles like this are that they are long on emotion, and short on any real, workable solutions.

Even the many "make poverty history" sites, blogs and forums that clog cyberspace can't propose anything constructive. Here's a sample:

"make laws that stop big business profiting at the expense of people and the environment"

"Debt cancellation is coming with harmful and undemocratic strings attached... cut the strings."

"change trade policies and the push to have some of the poorest nations on the planet sign up to grossly unfair trade deals"

This is just hogwash.

The cynic in me says that writing about it in a warm, caring and compassionate manner is an ideal substitute for actually doing anything constructive. It provides a nice warm glow of self-satisfaction, but that's about all.

It also assumes that we are responsible for both creating the problem in the first place, and for resolving it.

The only long term way to solve world poverty is solid economic growth, based on utilizing the people and their skills in the context of world trade. It will involve the disappearance of any and all trade barriers, including rich countries complaining that they can't compete with the unbelievably low labour costs in an emerging economy (is this ringing bells?) and protesting that it is exploitative "slave labour".

Helping in this manner requires generosity an order of magnitude greater than just dipping into our pockets. It requires full-hearted support behind the concept of "exporting jobs", which is a political challenge of the highest order.

And as such, will of course be avoided like the plague.

Pericles,how about considering contraception as a tool in limiting poverty.The more we give,the more the problem worsens.

The concept of poverty is always an interesting talking point. There is a tendency, I believe, to apply our own standards of living to situations throughout the world. That the vast majority of our population lives above the measured "poverty" line is testament to our understanding of how to properly survive in a challenging environment.

With our western, free enterprise system, it is knowledge and the application of knowledge which determines our satisfaction levels. The only difference between beggars and millionaires is how they spend their time.
I cannot and do not subscribe to the notion of constant handouts to those who may not want or need our help. By all means, teach them how, but step back once they know. Sink or swim time. Trust me, some will swim. Others won't. Natural selection in action.

We have absolutely no moral obligation to do any more than we do. In fact we should probably do less.
Those feeling hard done by may feel inclined to lash out at us for living as we do. Hit them back harder, I say. It may convince them to turn their attention to their own leaders if they're not happy with the situation. We are not the cause of their problems, they are.

This country is probably one of about 4 throughout the world which has never suffered any significant civil unrest or strife as a country. No coups. Nothing. Based on conscious decision making to not let any of that happen. I give thanks for the resilience of our pioneers, who could have succumbed, but didn't. Champions don't give up. Champions stay the course. We will never need foreign aid. Why? Because the idea is repulsive to us. We could if we wanted, stand alone. Not many could.

Point taken Tim. However... no matter how difficult it is to tell the truth... it is all the grey areas of the truth yhat must be made visable if we are to try and understand and problem solve.

The disadvantaged urban getto's and regional areas, where poor people live, are highly vulnerable to the possible induction of this terror making mentality.

Why;

Two Reasons:

A) the aggitation and frustration that might inspire criminal action - without outside influence, other than their own mindset, because they are unhappy about their own situation and or;

B) the vulnerablity of being influenced by others (be they rich drug-lords or agents of terror groups) who may use this raw aggitation and vulnerablity to influence their own terror cause, by influencing those experiencing the vulnerablity to join and recruit, as a means to do something....terrible, to vent their unhappy raw aggitation.

What do you think Tim?

We Need A No Door Policy Tim - backed up with real people socio-economic resource structures. Equity across the board would help to deflate the terror mindset.

http://www.miacat.com/
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Tim, I am looking back at older articles from the authors' list and reading the comments. Your article was informative but the comments are a awful condemnation of Australians who don't know what they are talking about.If one of them had ever been to Ethiopia or Zimbarbwe and seen fellow human beings in such straits they'd throw up!Sure!- things like contraception could help, but there just ARE no answers.The only thing we are capable of is COMPASSION -now! Like the Dalai Lama when asked a long question on that ABC T.V.SHOW said in Reply-"I, don't know!"

We live in opulence, our diseases are largely diseases of indulgence. If we knew how much is enough we would have plently of wealth to help the world. Which would you prefer? A heart operation for someone that has smoked, lived on fast food and beer or a well for those without clean water. My choice is for the later.
Very little aid is given out of compassion with wisdom. Compassion might have you give wine to an alcoholic, wisdom would not. Mugabe is left alone because Zim has lots of platinium and the world has only 15 years left at present usage. Not so hidden agendas abound.
We should be generous in wise ways. From the bottom up like the Gamien Bank is my choice. Nothing for the likes of Haliburton there. We should help people to help themselves, a cliche I know. Big projects primarily help oligarches. They should be avoided