Is world poverty a moral problem for the wealthy?

Abstract

Global poverty does not constitute a failure of justice on the part of the wealthy, as economic disparities typically do not arise from rights violations or a requirement for rectification. The concept of “cosmic injustice” regarding undeserved inequality is philosophically untenable; in a market context, income functions as a reflection of productive value rather than a reward for moral virtue. Consequently, the low incomes of the global poor are not “undeserved” in the relevant economic sense, as they correspond to the market value of the goods or services produced under current circumstances. While the plight of the needy may rightfully elicit human sympathy, such feelings belong to the realm of voluntary charity rather than mandatory justice or involuntary redistribution. Furthermore, persistent global indigence is primarily a consequence of political factors, particularly bad governance and protectionist restrictions on commerce. Lasting solutions to poverty are found in the expansion of free markets and the removal of barriers to trade, which allow individuals to improve their circumstances through mutually beneficial exchange rather than reliance on inefficient and ethically problematic international aid programs. – AI-generated abstract.