Everything is available …

The famous agricultural surpluses: lakes of milk, mountains of meat and even subsidies to change arable farm land to waste land; the wonders of technology – from advanced medical technology to world wide communication via the Internet up to space travel, today almost everything is possible; unlimited consumption opportunities: all crazy cravings can be satisfied – from cars costing millions to diamond-studded sandals up to a Picasso painting for 104 million US dollars.

... but for many there is nothing:

According to UN statistics, more than one billion people worldwide drink unclean water every day und 40% of the world’s population have no access to adequate sanitary facilities. The expression »world hunger« describes the dramatic situation in which today 850 million people are suffering from hunger and undernourishment. Every day up to 100,000 people hunger or die as a consequence of chronic undernourishment.

It seems that every lunacy that can be bought is more important than elementary needs. Hunger, lack of drinking water, illiteracy, street children, old-age poverty, etc. exist in the 21st century not due to nature, but as an accompanying aspect of the global market economy. It is not that the leading industrial nations in the market economy do not have the technology to feed the world’s population. Apparently there are reasons why this is not desired. But why?

Everyone knows that thousands of people die of hunger every day. No one condones this. But what are the consequences of not condoning it? Those who do not want to simply accept the fact that people starve every day have to examine things and ask themselves seriously why there is ever increasing poverty in the world. Only when the causes are correctly determined can we work on eliminating them. This is perfectly obvious in science as in practical life. When an airplane crashes, they look for the causes in order to prevent another crash. When my car breaks down, I have to know the reason in order to fix it. Is the tank empty or is it the motor? What part needs to be replaced to make the car run again? Without finding out the reasons, just thinking it is unfair that the car does not run anymore or to simply demand that it keep on driving would be viewed as extremely stupid. In social dealings with other people, in private life, in economy, or in politics there are also reasons for certain behavior, and those who do not like something would be advised to analyze the reasons for it, i.e. note the prevailing interests and purposes instead of simply demanding other behavior from the other side. It would be unjust to accuse a burglar whose intent is his own gain from theft and who thus has no reason to show any consideration for the concerns of his victim of failing to treat the door or window with the proper care or that the social selection of his victim is unfair would be absurd. Since everyone recognizes the intent here clearly, preventive measures are taken, the offender is chased, and an attempt is made to stop him. It would be just as absurd to accuse a businessman who increases his profits by firing employees that he does not need any longer of ignoring his social responsibilities, compared with the purpose of the entrepreneur of increasing his capital. This is false criticism. The market economy should be controlled by the striving for profits, but please without old-age poverty, street children, environmental and food scandals, and famines. Why should the burglar then not break in, as long as he doesn’t steal anything?

Those who are really disturbed by this need to solve the following riddle: All the necessities of life are produced in abundance in the industrial countries. Simultaneously, poverty is constantly on the rise there. How can that be?