OriginalSunshine

lol

Millhouse

I would like to chart of see happiness as a function of per capita GDP. I think that would be quite interesting.

scrubbedexpat141

Didn't LiveAid raise something like £150million?

Surely it can't all just have been wasted?

Meow

It wasn't and LiveAid was a wonderful thing. To call Bob Geldof a conman is just nasty; as are many of the disingenuous comments on this thread.

scrubbedexpat141

Agreed. Problem with this thread appears to be what poverty means to one person isn't to another.

Meow

Yes and that some seem to think that a family living in one room is acceptable and 'their own fault'.

the_red_sheep

Here's what it means to the UN, World Bank and Copenhagen Declaration:

United Nations: Fundamentally, poverty is the inability of getting choices and opportunities, a violation of human dignity. It means lack of basic capacity to participate effectively in society. It means not having enough to feed and clothe a family, not having a school or clinic to go to, not having the land on which to grow one’s food or a job to earn one’s living, not having access to credit. It means insecurity, powerlessness and exclusion of individuals, households and communities. It means susceptibility to violence, and it often implies living in marginal or fragile environments, without access to clean water or sanitation.

World Bank: Poverty is pronounced deprivation in well-being, and comprises many dimensions. It includes low incomes and the inability to acquire the basic goods and services necessary for survival with dignity. Poverty also encompasses low levels of health and education, poor access to clean water and sanitation, inadequate physical security, lack of voice, and insufficient capacity and opportunity to better one’s life.

Copenhagen Declaration: Absolute poverty is a condition characterized by severe deprivation of basic human needs, including food, safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, health, shelter, education and information. It depends not only on income but also on access to social services. The term 'absolute poverty' is sometimes synonymously referred to as 'extreme poverty.'

By those global definitions, it's hard to think anyone in the UK lives in true poverty.

the_red_sheep

It can most definitely be 'their own fault' at times, let's not kid ourselves that everyone in those situations is a helpless victim. The proliferation of people who take lack of personal responsibility for their actions and the consequences of those actions has created a huge drain on the welfare system in the UK.

Millhouse

Living in one room is probably what about 2/3 of the world's people do. Very few are forced into this in the UK unless they have materially fallen out of the system - normally as a result of drugs or abuse -- arguably "self-created problems".

I'm not saying that this is acceptable. In 1980 - around 55% of the world's population were on a dollar a day. This is around 25% now.

Worst poverty in my mind is probably by corrupt governments (e.g. Nigeria, CAR) or political tensions (West Bank/ Gaza). Poverty created directly by things that could be resolved. But we'll overlook those unnecessary details.

Fossildog

For not seeing things from your perspective? That's a bit harsh, but I guess it is easier than debating any of the points I have raised. The Internet version of sticking your fingers in your ears and singing LaLaLa I suppose.

Meow

Whilst there are a few people who may be the architects of their downfall, it is not right to tar everyone with the same brush.

weasel decentral

This is happiness overall.. it seems the happiest countries are also close to the highest GDP per capita. Except KSA where they have been officially mandated by the king to be happy, regardless of financial circumstances.

Millhouse

I won't be booking my holiday to Russia.

Beaverstate

Hmmm...Venezuela among the most happy. Seems they don't get the foreign press.

weasel decentral

You have to decide if someone profiting personally alongside whatever the charity gets is acceptable.
To use your previous example; some guy gets to tramp around Peru for free while bringing in money for the charity, has he brought some funds to the charity which otherwise would not have been donated? He perhaps managed to tap up friends who would not have bothered otherwise.
Similar to any of those chuggers who get a percentage of any bank debits people sign up to.
The era of 100% charitable altruism surely is gone, if it ever existed.