Saturday, August 11, 2007

Inequality in access to and use of resources

The overpopulation myth was mentioned today in a training we had. So, that got me to searching and reading some different articles. Here is one that I found particularly interesting:
http://www.ied.info/books/www/feedingtheworld.html
It talks about at least one problem with hunger and poverty in many nations is not overpopulation but "Who controls the land." Basically, growing cash crops for export is more profitable for many farmers than growing food for people in their own nations. One quote from the book Paths to Paradise, by André Gorz, talks about that it is more profitable for big landowners in Brazil to grow soya for cattle feed for export than to grow black beans for the poor in Brazil.
"Because our cows' purchasing power has risen above that of the Brazilian poor, soya itself has got so expensive in Brazil that a third of the population can no longer afford to buy either its beans or oil." [11]
When he says "our" I'm not sure to what developed nation he is referring possibly the USA? But you get the idea.
This is what God is talking about when He says, "Let every valley be lifted up, And every mountain and hill be made low;" (Isa 40:4) - righteousness in our dealings with others and equality of access to resources.

No comments: