tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469423763503103632.post6672535582970951756..comments2023-10-22T01:04:39.611-07:00Comments on Holland, 2002: Out of Poverty by Paul PolakUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469423763503103632.post-79313050235299588822008-11-06T00:10:00.000-08:002008-11-06T00:10:00.000-08:00I agree with Adam, though I wonder if many of thos...I agree with Adam, though I wonder if many of those of pro-developers recognize the faults in their precisely trying to export and apply American notions of capitalism and ruthless materialism to places like India and China, though as I am in India now, I cannot say this exportation is a completely uninvited sort of economic imperialism. <BR/><BR/>India, in response, seems more than happy and welcoming of American ideals and values, plastering white faces and white people on all its adverts and in its movies, as if subtly hinting of its implicit appreciation of who and what it believes represents America (or perhaps the West generally). This is a tangent, though I believe not a description of a phenomenon unique to India.<BR/><BR/>I suppose the relevant question then is what constitutes "fair" development; for we Americans to accept that the rest of the world cannot live our dream aka our gross consumption without completely obliterating world resources, while still trumpeting our political and economic values in front of it. Seems like some sick game -- let's educate and develop you, poor country, in our vein, but inhibit your ability to live like us once you reach our level of capability? <BR/><BR/>Clearly we must emphasize some balance in the distribution of global resources, America's included, as we strive towards a fair addressal of the inequalities endured by the poor and disenfranchised. Yet, when the major players of international economy and politics include those countries destined to lose from such reallocation, what exactly can the next step be?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2469423763503103632.post-63142588712303267122008-11-05T22:39:00.000-08:002008-11-05T22:39:00.000-08:00What's up, Mr. Ellis? I agree that poverty is ram...What's up, Mr. Ellis? I agree that poverty is rampant and immoral, and it does seem to be one of those things which people could fix but don't seem to get around to it. However, I don't see where we draw the line. Where are we taking this? Obviously we can't export the American model to China and India, because America uses 25% of the worlds energy, and three countries using up all the energy leaves very little for the other 160 or so. Not to mention the other industrial nations (although I just did). So how do we decide? Do we insist on fewer births, or do we just let Malthus checks keep doing the work? I always wonder this when I think about how drastic is the divide between rich and poor in this world. Is there an answer?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com