How to eradicate poverty

Ian
Hwa Chong Institution
Singapore

Poverty is a worldwide, undesirable phenomenon. Humans have tried to eradicate, or at least alleviate, its effect for centuries but without significant success. Today, as people become more intelligent, it may be actually possible for us to eradicate poverty from the world. There are a few ways of achieving this: by reducing population size, increasing human development and more industrialisation.

As there is more population growth in the countries that are poor, in terms of employment and economic development, there is over-population. We can reduce the population size in the world by controlling birth rates. Leaders in these countries should adopt the correct policies in ensuring that it is attractive for its people to comply.

Education about family planning, as well as incentives and penalties, could be given to couples. They can be taught various methods of controlling the size of their families, like not holding on to traditional beliefs and values or other religious beliefs, to have later marriages and to not have specific preferences for sons. They can also be given advice on family planning. Rewards in the form of monetary incentives may be given to couples with fewer children. In contrast, those with more children could be penalised, for example by having to pay higher taxes. China has been implementing such ideas with considerable success.

In poor countries experiencing over-population, many people would be left unemployed and those working would only be bringing home very little for quite a big family. Over-population would hamper economic growth, causing unemployment and poverty. As the population grows each year, there is not enough wealth generated to provide the minimum means of living. Therefore, population growth should be restricted.

Human development should also be used to overcome poverty. Human resources should be utilised for national economic growth. With the utilisation of the poor, any national economic development will have ample use of a workforce. To solve unemployment and wipe out poverty, it is necessary to help the development of the poor, especially the rural poor. Ensuring that all people have a minimum level of education and skill would make them employable, not only in their own country, but also that their expertise could be exploited globally.

Industrialisation can also be used to remove poverty by creating employment. In order to achieve more self-reliance and lower production costs, outdated labour policies, inter-union rivalries and inefficient management all need to be removed. A program of rapid industrial growth could be set up to create employment and remove poverty in this world.

To provide employment and remove poverty in poorer countries, all natural resources should be exploited. For example, Brunei and Middle Eastern countries are naturally endowed with oil. Brunei has vast amounts of oil, which could be sold to neighbouring countries. Indonesia is one example of a country rich in timber. It has lots of forests and could manufacture many products that require wood. These would bring in revenue for the country and pull them out of poverty. In the process of manufacturing, many jobs would be created and this would then bring that country out of a state of high unemployment. Hence, for poorer countries to prosper, it is essential for them to devise schemes that more fully exploit their natural resources.

Industrial growth has to be accompanied by agricultural growth too. Countries need to cultivate large areas of fertile land if they have them. It is also important to remember that technology also plays an important role in ensuring productivity. India, for instance, has not been enjoying complete success. There have been rapid developments in irrigation, horticulture and dairy farming. Keeping up with such developments is necessary if we are to ensure that millions of people are to be fed.

I have discussed the various possible avenues for the world to progress and develop to such an extent that poverty could be eradicated one day. We will come to a stage that, with fuller utilisation of our human and natural resources, global poverty will be a thing of the past!

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