When one thinks of human rights, rarely does one associate that with the economy. Yet, when you look closely many human rights are violated as an indirect result of economic conditions. When people are poor or financially pressured they become more open to corruption, abusing others for financial gain, etc…This has been recognized by others from time to time.
However, what is rarely acknowledged is the direct result of a poor economy. There is an old saying "When the U.S. sneezes, the world catches a cold"? Recently a friend of mine, a community development consultant, met with a head of the Central Bank of Congo. This is what the bank head said:
4 million Congolese have died during more than a decade of war. Goma was buried in lava from a volcanic eruption. Many of our poorest lost their money – more than $10 million total - to pyramid schemes. We were engulfed by a million Rwandan genocide refugees.... We've buried hundreds of thousands of AIDS victims... but NOTHING HAS DONE MORE DAMAGE THAN THE PAST YEAR"S DRYING UP OF EXPORT MARKETS FOR OUR MINERALS -due to the international financial crisis. That's been the fatal blow."
In the past year I have traveled to several African and Asian countries visiting entrepreneurs at the bottom of the pyramid. Even though I have experienced first hand the drying up of the global, financial markets and seen the effect it has had on these people, I am still a bit stunned by the bluntness of the above quote. Nevertheless, I’m not sure I can dispute it.
When it comes to the current economic crisis, it is, first, worth recognizing that it is far worse for residents in poorer countries. Second, we should realize that a good functioning economy contributes to the common good. That’s not to say that a good economy does all it can for the common good. But a good economy can do more for the common good and the poorest of the poor than a bad economy can. This is why I think it is a part of our spiritual mission to re-build a strong, flourishing and just global economy.
Comments
This is an interesting perspective. I can safely say that I have never heard the argument that a bad economy is a human rights violation.
What is a human right? If we believe that it is something close to Life, Liberty and The Pursuit of Happiness as enshrined in the Declaration of Independence, then I have a hard time buying that having a poor economy is a human rights violation.
It is a violation of human rights to not be afforded the OPPORTUNITY to prosper, but it is not a violation to not prosper. I don't believe that it is the responsibility of the US to prop up the economies in Africa by buying things. It is the responsibility of those nations to build their own economy. If they build it in such a way that it is reliant on the economy of another nation, then they will suffer just as we have. You are a product of your decisions. The US has leveraged its economy and its future for the sake of less pain today. You can rest assured that when the time comes to pay the bills, we will suffer.
The degree of suffering is obviously worse in developing nations than it is here. I would not dispute that. But, I would contend that in the abstract someone suffering personally because of a poor economy in the US ( a lost job for instance ) is no different than someone in a developing nation.
To me, your idea is very interesting, but presents the top of a slippery slope of being responsible for the quality of life in a country which does not operate by the same laws and customs as the US.
It's also quite possible I have missed your point entirely!
Great thought provoking article.