Basic needs or changing structural conditions???

I don’t think there is a clear answer whether it is better to concentrate on meeting people's basic needs, or to concentrate on modifying structural conditions of a country. I think there needs to be a balance between the two. But, I do think in the long run it is more important to change the structural conditions of a country. Like someone mentioned in class on Tuesday, it is better to give people the tools to help themselves, rather than just giving out handouts. The first kind of help will stabilize and sustain a nation, while the latter too often results in a quick fix that doesn’t last. This is in why I am somewhat skeptical of the idea of welfare in general.

People need the basics, and maybe they need those first, so they are equally if not more important, but after that they need something more. For example, people need things like food and water to live, but they need opportunities for capital in order to get rid of some of the causes of poverty. Otherwise the cycle of poverty will continue, because simply giving poor people handouts won’t build their lives or give them any means to change their economic situation. Even if a country is given the basic needs, there is no way to completely make sure that the already corrupt governments of these poverty-stricken nations won’t use the money for other things. In a lot of cases, the problem is not whether enough aid is available, but what happens to it. If you change how the government is run or give people the opportunities to rely on themselves instead of the government, there will be a greater chance that conditions will improve.

Poverty has a lot of causes and I think each cause should be looked at individually to determine what plan will work best to help that area. For example, in a nation hit by a natural disaster, their main need is getting basic needs such as food and water to sustain life. However, in an area affected by war, giving people basic needs won’t necessarily save their lives. In getting rid of global poverty we should focus on making opportunities available. I feel like both are important, but development and education are things that will have a greater lasting impact, instead of just providing aid for these countries.