Rationalized Selfishness or Reasonable Skepticism? Objections to Singer and Unger on the Obligations of the Affluent

Abstract

Moral obligations of the affluent toward the global poor are frequently dismissed through appeals to the ineffectiveness of aid, the limits of impartiality, or the prioritization of proximate relations. These objections often rely on anachronistic empirical data and inconsistent normative reasoning. While development assistance can effectively mitigate acute suffering, a narrow focus on individual beneficence remains insufficient for addressing chronic deprivation. A comprehensive evaluation of global obligations requires a conceptual shift from humanitarian rescue to systemic justice. Current global economic structures and international financial institutions frequently perpetuate the inequities that charitable aid seeks to alleviate. Consequently, the responsibilities of the materially fortunate encompass more than discretionary philanthropy; they necessitate addressing the structural causes of power imbalances and resource maldistribution. By prioritizing justice over mere charity, it becomes evident that affluent societies are often complicit in a framework of institutionalized poverty. A robust moral account of global responsibility must therefore move beyond the symptoms of deprivation to confront the political and economic systems that sustain them. – AI-generated abstract.