Poverty and Hunger in the Developing Countries: The Ethical Dimensions of Global Economy and Human Survival

The large numbers of hungry people living in a global economy based on industrialization, privatization, and free-trade (IPF), raises the question of the ethical dimension of the worsening food-crisis in the world in general and in the developing countries in particular. Who bears moral responsibility for the tragic situation in Africa and Asia, where people are starving due to poverty? Who is morally responsible for their poverty – the hungry people themselves? the international community? any particular agency or institution? In the context of the Article 3 of the UN Declaration of Human Rights (1948), which says that ¡°Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security,¡± the ethical question of poverty and hunger becomes a major human concern that should be discussed publicly and resolved immediately by whatever means available. How can those poor and hungry people realize their rights to life and security if their survival is in danger? As an ethicist, I believe that responsibility for global poverty lies with the current (neo-capitalistic) trend of global economy and with those individuals and organizations who, though small in number, have acquired a large proportion of the assets and financial resources. If this is so, our monetary and financial policies need a drastic change with regard to global responsibility towards starving people. I will contend that the economy should be promoted, but not at the cost of collective human ethics.