This is just a reply to the original topic, and is not written in consideration of any replies because I'm a lazy fucker and my eyes are not functioning today
so forgive meif the following has already been mentioned 1 billion times before (more than likely)
If we're talking about ''Western solutions' to poverty in developing nations, I wouldn't know where to begin evaluating if poverty can be 'eradicated'. Infact another question would probably be 'whose job is it to counteract poverty in different regions?'. Further, there's probably several different streams of arguments - political, social, cultural to answer the question of poverty eradication. It would require an understanding of how each society works, their relationship with other nations, political analysis, economic analysis. In short, you'd need to study different poverty stricken countries, because the successful eradication poverty in each one would probably have different probablities. ("probably have different probabilities" wow, thats an incredibly sophisticated phrase. I'm definately not one for clumsy sentences)
Eradication of poverty within a developed country through their own means ie. Australia, I think, is
possible. Albeit a highly contentious issue.
The value for the 'Population below 50% of median income (%)' for Australia was 14.3% (2.84 Million) in 2006 according to census data. And trends show this figure to be rising each year (Although I didn't check to see whether births had increased each year to see whether the forces behind this trend where socio economic or infact more the result of a growing population). If we add to this the notion of the widening gap between the 'rich' and the 'poor' our scenario seems pretty laclustre.
I think the cycle of poverty would have to be expelled; each conforming to the particular group of people concerned i.e. students living out of home, young parents, elderly, retired, unemployed. And immense consideration and cultural relevatism must be shown to Aboriginal communities (to whom figures show a greater portion of Aboriginals experience poverty than non-Aboriginals in Australia).
The eradication of poverty amongst Aboriginal communities is also a contentious issue. Some might argue our policies regarding Aboriginal equality are too skewed towards iinterventions etc that may lead to less autonomy.
That leads to the several question of, Are our attempts to eradicate poverty in Aboriginal communities only acting to impress western values and ideas about the 'good' and 'proper' life? i.e. a mainstreme australian lifestyle with our values? Are they better left to fix these problems by themselves within their communities? and do we have the right (morally and culturally) to intervene if they say no?
Perhaps these questions just hark back to a history of colonialsim which can't be undone and rather we must just look to ways of enhancing the situation now?
I don't know. Just my 2 cents (probably worth less. Meh)
