Peter Singer on world poverty

Singer evaluates all the objections to aiding poor countries, and he is aware that great injustices in the global economic and political system account for the world poverty. He states that we should also use our resources to challenge and change this unfair system. But he is realistic; such a radical transformation may take a very long time or it may never happen. And we just can’t look on while so many people are trapped in extreme poverty. He points out that some international organisations and non-government organisations (NGOs) are using charity to build institutions and create job opportunities for the poor that will have a long term impact and help them have an independent and sustainable life. Singer says:

… I am not arguing here for higher taxation or any other coercive means of increasing aid. I am talking about what we should choose to do with our money if we are to live ethically. At the same time I am not arguing against a governmental role in reducing global poverty. Whether governments play such a role is a separate question from the argument I am making. My aim is to convince you, the individual reader, that you can and should be doing a lot more to help the poor.

Therefore in affluent societies where people are mostly motivated by self-interest we need to create a culture of giving and encourage and applaud such philanthropic behaviour.

Singer proposes that the comfortably well off in the West should give at least 5 per cent of their income, and the rich much more to help the poor, and he provides a detailed scale that shows how much each income group should give to charity.

Singer’s book is lucid and accessible to everyone, and it’s worth buying and reading. And all royalties from the sale of the book go to charity. You can get more information about the book and the ethics it’s promoting on the book’s website thelifeyoucansave.com.