General Discussion
Showing Original Post only (View all)Both China and India are Amazing Stories of Poverty Reduction... We Should Stop Demonizing Them [View all]
I would direct you all to the UN's The Millennium Development Goals Report (2011)
http://www.beta.undp.org/content/dam/undp/library/MDG/english/MDG_Report_2011_EN.pdf
"The fastest growth and sharpest reductions in poverty continue to be found in Eastern Asia, particularly in China, where the poverty rate is expected to fall to under 5 per cent by 2015. India has also contributed to the large reduction in global poverty. In that country, poverty rates are projected to fall from 51 per cent
in 1990 to about 22 per cent in 2015. In China
and India combined, the number of people living in extreme poverty between 1990 and 2005 declined by about 455 million, and an additional 320 million people are expected to join their ranks by 2015. Projections for sub-Saharan Africa are slightly more upbeat than previously estimated. Based on recent economic growth performance and forecasted trends, the extreme poverty rate in the region is expected to fall below 36 per cent."
These countries are massive success stories of the modern era. China, with its economic reforms in '79 and India with its reforms in the 90s have reduced had amazing results reducing extreme property. Instead of demonizing them, we should understand that it is world economy and that we have to work together. The world is not hopeless and people in both China and India escaping property that few in this country could understand is not a bad thing.
The economy changes and jobs move. However, jobs are also created and innovation still happens. We as a country have a lot going for us. We can solve our problems and compete globally. In fact, we are currently solving our problems and we are very competitive globally. We don't have to keep demonizing other societies that "take our jobs."
I should make a note that the UN is measuring "absolute poverty here" THey define that as "a condition characterised by severe deprivation of basic human needs, including food, safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, health, shelter, education and information. It depends not only on income but also on access to services." It translate into living off of less then $1.25 a day. The level of poverty in India is far different then any type of poverty here.