London
23 June 2008
Oxfam on Monday published a book warning that the food and fuel pricehikes have signaled the start of a new age of scarcity which could dragmillions of people further into poverty. It urges immediate action totackle the huge inequalities that prevent poor people from havingaccess to resources such as food fuel and water. For VOA, TendaiMaphosa has more from London.
From Power to Poverty calls forurgent action to address the gap between the world's rich and poor.Duncan Green, the book's author, spoke to VOA.
"The comparisonwould be with the U.S. in the Depression or with Europe after theSecond World War where you had the New Deal, you had the creation ofwelfare states," he explained. "We need some level of political inspirationlike that on a global scale if we are actually going to get throughthis century without catastrophic damage to the climate, and withoutcontinued and deepening instability and violence."
Green saidthe gap between the wealthy and poor has been growing at a fast pacerecently. He said the income of the world's 500 richest billionairesexceeding that of the world's 416 million poverty stricken is a signthat there is a need to redistribute the world's resources.
Green says the countries that have been successful in narrowing the gap have had two things in common.
"Theyhave had effective states which have actually managed the economy,managed security, delivered for the national developments and they havealso had active citizens," he said. "So, the book argues for thiscombination of active citizens and effective states as the key placewhere development happens."
Green also called for an overhaul of international institutions, such as the IMF and World Bank.
Redistribution,Green said, is also crucial to closing the gap between the haves andhave nots. The state, he said, should act as an agent of change throughtax and land reforms that give the poor an edge within countries.