Fighting poverty--or fighting for development?

In September 2005, former President Clinton launched an initiative "to tackle poverty, climate change and other worldwide issues" during "a gathering of political leaders and activists who are promising to pitch in--and must put those pledges in writing." In early 2005--along with many other times--Mandela was demanding that the world do more to fight poverty. Others have talked about trying to end poverty. And of there is the war on poverty that officially started in the mid-1960s.

Yesterday, on the 40th anniversary of MLK Jr's assassination, John McCain took up Martin Luther King Jr's call for America to fight poverty. McCain said: "I will answer his call, and tell him and the American people today that I will make the eradication of poverty a top priority of the McCain Administration."

Here's a different suggestion--a fight for development rather than a fight against poverty. Okay, for a liar like Clinton, that might sound like a distinction without a difference. To be clear, I don't mean that a Clinton or Obama speech writer should toss in a throw-away line like "of course we care about development." Rather, I mean that development should be treated as a priority.

Saying that you are against poverty may sound great in focus groups and to soccer moms working as journalists and college professors, but if we really want people to live independently and at a higher level, then development is needed.

But people don't often chant for development.

What do we want? Free markets! When do we want them? Now!

2-4-6-8, capitalism now, we can't wait!

Invisible hand, yes! Government meddling, no! Privatize, yes! Nationalize, no!

Hey-hey, ho-ho! Democratic socialists have got to go!

I'm reminded of a documentary in which John Kenneth Galbraith went on for an hour about poverty and ways to fight it. The late Peter Bauer had a short rebuttal: There are no causes of poverty. That is the natural human state. It is the causes of success that must be investigated.

CJL

Park Jin welcoming remarks to FSI (and Casey Lartigue)

National Assembly member Park Jin makes the welcoming remarks at FSI's conference featuring North Korean diplomats. Park Jin | Greeting message to FSI and Casey Lartigue mention - YouTube

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2020-04-26, TNKR Matching session #102 The Teach North Korean Refugees Global Education Center (TNKR) humbly began in March 2013 with 5 tutors and 5 NK refugees being matched together. We held that first session at a TOZ business center in Gangnam. Seven years later, TNKR has now matched 455 North Korean refugees with 1,027 tutors, coaches, and mentors. Today we held our 102nd Language Matching session at our slightly expanded office near the Sangsu Subway Station. Instead of just being something that Casey and Eunkoo did short-term, TNKR is now an official organization in both South Korea and the USA, we have been featured in media and by other organizations (just yesterday, we were featured by KOTESOL), and we have fans and donors from around the world.

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