Make poverty history?

I thoroughly approve of public protest. I come from a long line of political protesters, one of whom even got shot for his efforts. So I was very glad to see St Bob's efforts over the weekend to mobilise people all over the place to make a point. 

I found myself worrying, however, that the tempo was rising towards a view that eight men in a room could change the world. However valuable it is to make the protest loud and clear, so that they know what we want, the reality is that global poverty will only be shifted if you and I (and all the outrageously rich rock stars in the world) take seriously the fact that global poverty will cost us - in our pockets, in our lifestyles, in our wish to consume all we want without counting. Eight men in a room can't change anything unless you and I are willing to simplify, cut down, drive less, fly less, eat drink and be merry in more moderate terms, consider how many electronic gadgets and fancy clothes we buy, and who from... and all the rest.

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Eight men in a room can't change the world, unless the millions of people who campaigned at the weekend will back up the call for change with their individual action within our own luxury (in world terms) lifestyles. As Gordon Brown said earlier today, getting rid of poverty is not the job of a day or a weekend, or even of a summit - it's the job of a lifetime: something we'll have to keep on at doggedly for years to come. The eight men in a room are our elected leaders, but not our saviours, and we would make a huge mistake if we allowed ourselves to begin believing that it is THEIR responsibility, and not yours and mine. Much more comfortable, of course, to pretend that THEY should do something, not ME. But it won't change anything if we think that way. 

I shan't make myself popular by saying so, of course. But it's true all the same.

Comments

[Dave]

Good thought Maggi - and one that we campaigners need to be reminded of.

[bobbie]

so very true maggi! it will take more than most are willing to part with - our voices are important, but our lives must follow!

[simon]

Yes, but ... (and it's an important but)

They do actually have power which we elected them to exercise. Those of us who were in Edinburgh on Saturday were not marching to pass the buck, but to participate in the democratic process by letting our leaders know that we expect them to act.

Be careful that your warning that we have to take responsibility doesn't become an excuse for those eight men not to take responsibility.

[Hugh A]

Maggi, I think you've hit the nail on the head - it's easy to say it's up to the G8 leaders and forget our own responsibilities. This is not an either / or situation but one that requires international and personal action. Of course this is not a new idea but we too often split the collective and individual. Those of us from an evangelical background often talk about the individual with no reference to the collective but take a look at what Isaiah said when confronted by a vision of the majesty of God.
"Woe to me! I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty."
He is concerned about his own sins (I am a man of unclean lips) and his part in the collective sins of his nation (and I live among a people of unclean lips). So we have to take individual action to help put the world right (which I see as part of the Gospel) as well as pushing for collective action.

[John]

Angela Tilby said something similar on Thought for the Day this morning - these men aren't gods who can change the world by magic. However, they *are* men, and we can hold them accountable for their actions as men.

pax et bonum

[Daniel]

Maggi - this is true and we should forget that, for many, a more just world might mean not just less consumption, but actually losing jobs and livelihoods and having to retrain or whatever to survive in a more globalised world.

[John Davies]

You're right to point out that we all have responsibilities to live justly and that we can make choices to adjust some of the wrong relationships we're in with people and the planet.

But I can't agree that these are 'just eight men'. They carry tremendous power and are serviced by enormous political corporations, and their actions need to be very carefully scrutinised by the rest of us, constantly.

These people DO change the world, all the time. they'll do it again this week by whatever decisions they do or do not take in Gleneagles. It is THEIR responsibility to be accountable to us and it is OUR responsibility to force that, because they won't volunteer it.

[Steve Shakespeare]

Hi Maggi,
I think you make an important point. Top-down action obviously does have an enormous impact, but I am uneasy about Bob et al's celebrity crusade, because of what it leaves out. Bob's happy to swear on TV, but who is making the link between poverty and unjust war, imperialism, environmental exploitation - things the G8 leaders are still pursuing? That's no reason to stop campaigning, but we shouldn't set our sights too low. Aren't Christians out to turn the world upside down?

[Keith]

Nice.

[Frank Durkee]

It's not just a lifestyle issue. It's a political and voting issue all over the world. We have to develop the political wisdom to alter our lives economically ]think farm subsidies, and other subsidies ]. and the political will has to be organized and efffective to overcome all of our individual and corporate and communal greeds.

[ash]

I think Simon has a point here. I was in Edinburgh at the weekend, and I think part of the point was that we were there. We were there to participate in the process, and to say "there's no way you can get away with not changing the system on this" and to show that we care and we are prepared to do something about it.

Getting to Edinburgh was a bit of a chore, even though I wasn't the one driving, and it wasn't THAT exciting being there... certainly wasn't any Live8! But the point is we were there to show we care and that we're prepared to do something quite inconvenient to make sure the leaders get the point.

Now, you're right, we have to change our actions. Whether that means changing our banks to Co-op, our tea to Traidcraft and our trousers to hemp instead of cotton and refusing to eat McDonalds and drink Coke... or whether it means even more than that remains to be seen I think.

[maggi]

Simon, Ash, John - yes, as I said at the top I thoroughly approve of public protest and political activism - I'd have been there myself if only it hadn't clashed with our Graduation. It's not either-or, it's got to be both. But watching the bits at home of the TV the impression was very much one of delegation to the big 8 - as if they were able to do it for us, not on behalf of us. And we mustn't go down that road, or the statements made and the progress thus far will fall into dust.

[James]

Not only will these 8 men not chnage the world, but Bob can't do it on his own either. The rhetoric of 'this is the one chnace we have, it will never come again' could be incredibly damaging if the G8 decide not to bow to public pressure. I agree Maggi, the real work is to convince people that this is the start of a process, not the end of a journey.

[niallm]

maggi, i guess i agree but with an important aside... whilst you are right that we all need to play our part in this i think we need to remember that this whole idea about eradicating poverty is not a zero sum game. if you read jeffrey sachs book on ending poverty he points out that relieving extreme poverty in africa actually has long term benefits for us in the west. its not a case of us losing something as someone else gains it. that being said there are important and strong arguments for simplyfying our gluttonous lifestyles.. especially from an environmental viewpoint. you re also spot on to point out that this process will take a generation.. we need to keep it going..pity cries and then forgets about what it was crying about.. compassion doesnt forget. it will be interesting to see how this campaign develops in coming months.

[Mike King]

Right on Maggi

[Orwell61]

Interesting -- in all this talk about corporate and individual responsibility, no one has mentioned the Africans themselves.

[Lorna]

At last! I was beginning to think I was a lone cynic.

Earlier today I was thinking about what gets any of us into debt in the first place, and it's simply buying what we can't afford.
(sometimes essentials)

Even if all the debt were erased today, we haven't learnt or modelled healthy ways of spending.

So many (esp young) people I know are now struggling to pay off credit card bills that have spiralled out of control. I once even visited a church that even advocated getting into debt in order to tithe. Grrr!

Ending poverty means learning to live responsible life styles. We can afford to wipe out the national debts, and should do so, but unless we learn to live within our means, we could easily be back to square one within a generation.

Depressing eh?

[Lorna]

At last! I was beginning to think I was a lone cynic.

Earlier today I was thinking about what gets any of us into debt in the first place, and it's simply buying what we can't afford.
(sometimes essentials)

Even if all the debt were erased today, we haven't learnt or modelled healthy ways of spending.

So many (esp young) people I know are now struggling to pay off credit card bills that have spiralled out of control. I once even visited a church that even advocated getting into debt in order to tithe. Grrr!

Ending poverty means learning to live responsible life styles. We can afford to wipe out the national debts, and should do so, but unless we learn to live within our means, we could easily be back to square one within a generation.

Depressing eh?

[hopefulamphibian]

Well put, Maggi. However I do think "eight men in a room could change the world" - I don' think anyone seriously believes they could eradicate poverty (certainly not Bono, St Bob, or Richard Curtis, all of whom have appear to hold very realistic views of politics and politicians). But they can make a difference and I'm with those who believe they should be held to account (or praised) for what they choose to do or not to do.

I agree though that while we still cherish the belief that we are ultimately consumers with an absolute right to choose what we buy and for how much (a view which Live8 does nothing to challenge, and much to support), then bitter poverty will remain in many, many parts of the world.

I guess that's where we need communities (not just individuals) who live differently.

[Neale]

I don't know about what the British press is doing, but the Canadian press is full of stories about how the Geldof/Bono effort is well meaning but, tsk, tsk, they really don't understand the sources of African policy and it will really depend upon African leaders becoming less corrupt and we must all be patient, it will take years, etc., etc.
It seems to me all this talk is an effort of we in the West finding ways to do little or nothing but just go on with our comfortable little lives. To avoid taking the collective action needed to bring about change.
No, the G8 are our elected leaders, they are the people who have the power, and the way we "take seriously" the fact of global poverty is to insist that they take action to end it.
Of course they have power to end it! George Bush's administration is going to spend $450 billion dollars next year on armaments - if he spent just one tenth of that on aid to the Developing World (really spent it, not just "promised" he would) - within a year or two virtually every person would have clean drinking water.
Do you think he's powerless to do that?

[Simone]

I agree with what you say. We all need to take responsibility, eat less, not be angry to pay more taxes if more of that money goes to Africa etc. But we can't change the world, we can't get rid of poverty. As long as God is being left out of live8, the G8, all other campaigns, it's just so empty. Yes, people need water and bread, they need Jesus more.

[brodie]

well said Maggi - I was in Edinburgh for the gathering on Saturday and as I walked through the crowds wondered how many of them lived or will live lives that back up the message 'Make poverty history'?

[Serena]

A real challenge to us all.