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Does America have an obligation to become a third world nation?

Does America have an obligation to become a third world nation?

  • Yes

    Votes: 4 15.4%

  • No

    Votes: 22 84.6%
  • Total voters
    26
  • Poll closed .
L

Lost Soul

Member
In order to be fair to all the poor people of the world, does the United States have an obligation to become a third world nation too so it can share more of its wealth?
 
Ody

Ody

Well-Known Member
No, a good deal of our wealth was ACTUALLY produced by american industry.
 
Nehustan

Nehustan

Well-Known Member
I replied no, but I will qualify my answer. If one looks at the population of America and it's 'ecological footprint' (i.e. it's double that of Western Europe) it is quite clear that there is no requirement for the USA (or Western European Nations) to become 'third world' to allow a considerable increase in the standard of life across the planet. As a subtext, try telling some of the people in New Orleans that parts of the USA aren't third world, let's take literacy as a marker, mysteriously missing from US statistics on the UN site.
 
Booko

Booko

Deviled Hen
Nehustan said:
I replied no, but I will qualify my answer. If one looks at the population of America and it's 'ecological footprint' (i.e. it's double that of Western Europe) it is quite clear that there is no requirement for the USA (or Western European Nations) to become 'third world' to allow a considerable increase in the standard of life across the planet.
Click to expand...

I was just thinking that we don't have to lower our standard of living, just get more efficient about it and eliminating a bit of the outrageous excess.

Also, I think we can *raise* the standard of living around the world by putting an end to conflict and oppression, which is much of the reason preventing peoples from creating wealth and prosperity in those parts of the world in the first place.

As a subtext, try telling some of the people in New Orleans that parts of the USA aren't third world, let's take literacy as a marker, mysteriously missing from US statistics on the UN site.
Click to expand...

Hm, I had no idea our literacy stats were missing. That's rather amazing, because I'm sure there are some to be had from reliable sources.

I got this off the CIA website:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (2003 est.)
 
Ody

Ody

Well-Known Member
Booko said:
I got this off the CIA website:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (2003 est.)
Click to expand...

Bias can be argued. ;)
 
Booko

Booko

Deviled Hen
AlanGurvey said:
Bias can be argued. ;)
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Definitely. There were some other sites on the subject, but they were written in educationalese and couldn't be bothered to present anything simple like a PERCENTAGE <sigh>
 
Jaymes

Jaymes

The cake is a lie
Definitely no. I haven't heard anyone arguing this as though it was a valid idea, though.
 
Ody

Ody

Well-Known Member
Lost Soul said:
So the poor in the world can share in your wealth.
Click to expand...

Why should a hard worker give up his capital due to the actions caused by the elites that harmed others?
 
Ody

Ody

Well-Known Member
Lost Soul said:
Just to do what is right. You just don't care about the poor do you?:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

No i do, i just feel that a simple member of the lower class should not share in the burden, give it to the bigwigs and execs.
 
L

Lost Soul

Member
AlanGurvey said:
No i do, i just feel that a simple member of the lower class should not share in the burden, give it to the bigwigs and execs.
Click to expand...

Oh, now I understand..........stick it to the MAN.;) I like.:D
 
Jaymes

Jaymes

The cake is a lie
Lost Soul said:
So the poor in the world can share in your wealth.
Click to expand...
So you're saying we should increase our poverty and childbirth rates and decrease our literacy, education and life-expectancy? Because those are the hallmarks of third world countries.

Being money-grubbing SOBs isn't going to save developing countries. Neither will doing the above and turning ourself into a third world country.
 
Buttercup

Buttercup

Veteran Member
Lost Soul said:
In order to be fair to all the poor people of the world, does the United States have an obligation to become a third world nation too so it can share more of its wealth?
Click to expand...

I've never heard this notion brought out before....Would you state how we would go about this and then I can answer your question? :)
 
jeffrey

jeffrey

†ßig Dog†
Of course not. We need to take care of our own 1st, then help where we can. Just like my own family. My 1st and only obligation is to them. Once they are taken care of, I'd help my relatives. And if they are ok, then my neighbors. But I would not forsake my family to help people I don't even know. Sure, I'd like to help them, but not at the expense of my family going hungry.
 
Lindsey-Loo

Lindsey-Loo

Steel Magnolia
Why should we become poor just because other countries are? I feel bad for the poorer countries, but it's their job to take care of their people. America takes care of its own.
 
Hirohito18200

Hirohito18200

Member
I guess I don't see the logic behind this. Simply "giving our wealth away" isn't quite that simple: if you were to give a Massai herdsman control of a DJI company and its assets, how long would that company survive. Even if we were to give away a significant portion of our wealth, how would this be any different that the past, in which nations have not benefited by obtaining foreign aid? Merely handing out freebies increased corruption and creates a welfare people group. Lowering our standards puts us in a position less able to spread our knowledge and unable to teach the developing world how to fend for itself, which IMHO is the real way to solve the problem.

Digging wells doesn't solve the problem; teaching and convincing the people to build their own does.
 
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