3 Myths about Poverty

In his annual letter, Bill Gates observed...

"By almost any measure, the world is better than it has ever been.  People are living longer, healthier lives.  Many nations that were aid recipients are now self-sufficient.  You might think that such striking progress would be widely celebrated, but in fact, Melinda and I are struck by how many people think the world is getting worse.  The belief that the world can’t solve extreme poverty and disease isn’t just mistaken.  It is harmful.  That’s why in this year’s letter we take apart some of the myths that slow down the work.  The next time you hear these myths, we hope you will do the same."

Kirsten Haugen has summarized Gate's points here (but we urge you to read his entire letter):

MYTH ONE: POOR COUNTRIES ARE DOOMED TO STAY POOR
“The easiest way to respond to the myth that poor countries are doomed to stay poor is to point to one fact:  They haven’t stayed poor.  Many — though by no means all — of the countries we used to call poor now have thriving economies.  And the percentage of very poor people has dropped by more than half since 1990.  That still leaves more than one billion people in extreme poverty, so it’s not time to celebrate.  But it is fair to say that the world has changed so much that the terms 'developing countries' and 'developed countries' have outlived their usefulness."

MYTH TWO: FOREIGN AID IS A BIG WASTE
"One percent of the U.S. budget is about $30 billion a year.  Of that, roughly $11 billion is spent on health:  vaccines, bed nets, family planning, drugs to keep people with HIV alive, and so on.  (The other $19 billion goes to things like building schools, roads, and irrigation systems.)  I don’t want to imply that $11 billion a year isn’t a lot of money.  But to put it in perspective, it’s about $30 for every American.  Imagine that the income tax form asked, 'Can we use $30 of the taxes you’re already paying to protect 120 children from measles?'  Would you check yes or no?"

MYTH THREE: SAVING LIVES LEADS TO OVERPOPULATION
“When children are well-nourished, fully vaccinated, and treated for common illnesses like diarrhea, malaria, and pneumonia, the future gets a lot more predictable.  Parents start making decisions based on the reasonable expectation that their children will live."

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