Unit4
1.The crisis of global poverty has, at long last, been accorded a high priority on the international agenda. This propitious development has sparked a flurry of discussion and research concerning the means for eradicating this debilitating condition from human life. Yet as renewed pledges for action pour in from governments, as long-held theories and conventional approaches fail to quell long-held prejudices, conflicts, and exploitation, a feeling of rudderlessness looms over the global enterprise of poverty eradication. At the same time, a palpable optimism emerges from the attention and momentum generated by the search for solutions to this worldwide challenge.
2.The mechanisms of poverty eradication have long been defined in primarily material terms. Indeed, the central pillar of the international community’s poverty alleviation efforts has been the transfer of financial resources. Approximately $2.3 trillion have been spent on foreign aid over the last five decades.[1] Tragically, the aid, far from ushering in greater self-sufficiency, has often had a detrimental effect on recipient communities: increased dependency on foreign assistance, subservience to externally dictated priorities, misappropriation of funds and decreased pressure for governance reform. In a resolute push for change, the United Nations has sought to expand the mechanisms for assistance and to galvanize support for poverty alleviation through its Millennium Development Goals.[2]
消除贫困的机制，很久以来主要是用物质的术语界定的。事实上，国际社会努力缓解贫困的主要手段是调配资金。在刚刚过去的五十年里，大约2.3万亿美元花在了外援上1。可悲的是，这些援助不但未能帮助受援体增强自立的能力，反而常常带给受援体负面影响——增加了他们对外援的依赖、总是屈从于来自外部的指示、挪用资金、减低了政府自身改革的动力。为了坚决推进变革，联合国通过其制定的《千年发展目标》寻求扩展援助的机制，加大对扶贫的支持力度。
3.It is now increasingly acknowledged that such conditions as the marginalization of girls and women,[3] poor governance,[4] ethnic and religious antipathy,[5] environmental degradation[6] and unemployment[7] constitute formidable obstacles to the progress and development of communities. These evidence a deeper crisis—one rooted in the values and attitudes that shape relationships at all levels of society. Viewed from this perspective, poverty can be described as the absence of those ethical, social and material resources needed to develop the moral, intellectual and social capacities of individuals, communities and institutions. Moral reasoning, group decision-making and freedom from racism, for example, are all essential tools for poverty alleviation. Such capacities must shape individual thinking as well as institutional arrangements and policy-making. To be clear, the goal at hand is not only to remove the ills of poverty but to engage the masses of humanity in the construction of a just global order.
4.Individuals and institutions must work in tandem to take up this task. One of the goals of poverty alleviation, then, centers on the individual: he must be helped to reclaim his dignity and sense of self-worth, must be encouraged to gain confidence to improve his condition and strive to realize his potential. Beyond the achievement of personal well-being, he must be nurtured to become a source of social good—of peace, happiness and advantage to those around him. It is at the level of service to others that our humanity achieves its highest expression. The second goal centers on institutions: at every level of society, they must serve as channels through which the talents and energies of individuals can be harnessed in service to humanity. Resources that help to develop this individual and institutional capacity represent a true source of wealth to the community.
5.Much like the physical principles that govern the material world, the social world, too, is governed by moral principles, which underlie the functioning of an ordered society. Principles such as gender equality,[8] trustworthiness,[9] access to education, human rights and freedom of religion,[10] for example, tend to correlate positively with measures of socioeconomic well-being and stability. The interrelatedness of challenges stemming from poverty calls for the articulation of principles capable of guiding analysis, decision-making and the
development of indicators to measure progress. The essential merit of a principle-based process is tha
t it guides individuals and institutions away from a focus on isolated, short-term concerns to consider problems from a systemic and long-term perspective. For any decision to garner support and deliver results, the decision-making process itself must have integrity: it must involve those directly affected by the decisions and it must be governed by transparent, agreed-upon ethical standards.
6.It is in this context that the Bahá'íInternational Community would like to offer two principles as guides for efforts in the realm of poverty eradication: justice and unity. These principles underlie a vision of development in which material progress serves as a vehicle for the moral and cultural advancement of humanity. Justice provides the means capable of harnessing human potential to eradicate poverty from our midst, through the implementation of laws, the adjustment of economic systems, the redistribution of wealth and opportunity, and unfailing adherence to the highest ethical standards in private and public life. Unity asserts that progress is systemic and relational, that a concern for the integrity of the family unit and the local, national, and global community must guide poverty alleviation efforts.
Part II
Governance
7.The question of poverty places particular responsibility on elected leaders and their governments. W
hile some have argued that poverty itself leads to poor governance, causality often moves in the opposite direction: better governance leads to better development outcomes. Central to the issue of governance is the inescapable question of character – the values that a leader brings to his or her office largely define the direction and fruits of his or her work. Trustworthiness is foremost among these, as it fosters credibility with the public and with other leaders, builds support for government initiatives and engenders stability and security. Effective leaders must not only exercise an impeccable ethic but al so work to strengthen the character of the nation’s economic, social, legal and educational institutions, to improve the regulatory framework, and to manage scarce resources effectively. Where earnings are concerned, they must be content with a lawful and modest remuneration. As the substance of politics becomes increasingly global, elected leaders must show the vision and the courage to gradually align national interests with the requirements of the evolving global community.
Individual responsibility
8.A large share of the responsibility for poverty eradication rests with the individuals themselves. While poverty is the product of numerous factors: historic, economic, political and environmental, there is also a cultural dimension, which manifests itself in individual values and attitudes. Some of these –such as the subjugation of girls and women, the lack of value of education or of an individual’s right to
progress – can exacerbate conditions of poverty. The relevant human qualities such as honesty, willingness to work, and cooperation can be harnessed to accomplish enormously demanding goals when members of society trust that they are protected by standards of justice and assured of benefits that apply equally to all. The human rights approach, with its emphasis on the individual’s entitlement to a set of rights, however, may prove challenging to implement without an accompanying moral influence necessary to inspire the accompanying changes in attitudes and behaviors.
Gender
9.The issue of gender equality is one such example: over the last two decades nations have repeatedly come together to acknowledge the critical role of women in advancing development imperatives. The natural and social sciences have laid to rest any bases for discrimination; most countries have enacted laws to afford women the same opportunities as men; conventions have been signed and ratified; new measures and social indicators have been put in place. Yet women’s agency in the arenas of law, politics, science, commerce and religion, t o name a few, is still grossly deficient. In areas where women have gained access to education, employment, and ownership opportunities, dramatic effects have been observed at many levels: at the level of the family, more equitable
division of food, resources, and health care among girls and boys; higher rates of literacy among children; lower rates of fertility leading to better economic conditions and maternal health; and the injection of new concerns into public discourse. Female literacy, alone, has been shown to play a much more important role in promoting social well-being than other variables related to the general level of wealth in a society.[12] Indeed the well-being of the entire family has been dramatically altered where economic and social circumstances and societal attitudes have been favorable to women’s advancement. Yet, the gradual transformation of attitudes has required much more than legal measures, it has required a fundamental change of belief about roles of men and women and courage to challenge traditional gender norms.
Economic activity
两性平等问题处于这样的状况：在过去的二十年中，各国多次聚在一起，承认女性在促进发展使命中的重要作用。自然科学和社会科学都已经废除了任何可赖以支持性别歧视的基础；多数国家业已颁布法律，使女性与男性享有同等的机会；国际公约已经签署并得到批准；新的措施已实施，新的社会指标已投入应用。但妇女在法律、政治、科学、商业和宗教领域的作用——尽管可以说出几个名人来，但总体上仍然严重不足。在一些地区妇女赢得机会接受教育、就业和置业等，在许多层次上都可以观察到意想不到的效果：在家庭的层次上，男孩和女孩之间在食物、资产和健康关怀的分配上更加公平；儿童的识
字率提高了；较低的出生率促成了经济状况和母亲健康状况的改善；对公众话题的关注度显著增加。实践证明，单单女性识字率的提高这一因素在推动社会康乐中所起的作用，就比其他与一个社会总财富水平相关的所有因素所发挥的作用要大得多12。的确，在经济、社会环境及社会观念有利于妇女发展的地方，整个家庭的福祉也得到了引人注目的改变。然而，态度的转化是缓慢的，而且态度改变要比法定措施要求的转变需要更多的条件，它需要从根本上改变关于男女角的信念，需要挑战传统性别观念的勇气。
resources翻译
10.Undeniably, poverty is sustained by an interaction of social and material factors. This interaction determines the societal benefits of material resources, whether the resources are concentrated in the hands of a few or are equitably distributed, whether they are beneficial or harmful to the society at large. Today, much of economic activity and its institutional context is at odds with environmental sustainability, the advancement of women, the well-being of the family, the engagement of young people, the availability of employment, and the expansion of knowledge. For example, military expenditures exceeding $1 trillion and global trade in illicit drugs in excess of $300 billion far exceeds the estimated costs of meeting the United Nations’ global d evelopment goals in areas of education, health, sustainability, and women’s empowerment. The economic theories of impersonal markets, promoting self-centered actions of individuals, have not helped humanity escape the extremes of pove
rty on the one hand and over-consumption on the other. New economic theories for our time must be animated by a motive beyond just profit. They must be rooted in the very human and relational dimension of all economic activity, which binds us as families, as communities and as citizens of one world. They must be animated by a spirit of innovation rather than blind imitation, ennoblement rather than exploitation, and the full and confident participation of women.
Extremes of wealth
10.不可否认，贫穷是社会因素和物质因素相互作用的结果。这种相互作用决定了物质资源的社会效益，无论这些资源是集中在少数几个人手里还是得到了公正的配置，无论它们总体上对社会有益还是有害。今天，多数经济活动及其制度背景，与环境的可持续性、妇女的进步、家庭的康宁、年轻人的参与、充分就业、传播知识都是不协调的。例如，超过一万亿美元13的军费开支，超过三千亿美元14的全球违禁药品贸易，都远远超过了实现联合国在教育、健康、可持续发展和妇女权益诸领域的全球发展目标所需要的预算15。
冷漠的市场经济理论，激发了以自我为中心的个人行为，既无助于人类摆脱极端贫困，也无法帮助人类消除过度消费。适合于当今时代的新经济理论，必须超越单纯追求利润的动机。新经济理论必须植根于所有经济活动的人性化及相关方面，这样，经济活动才能够像家庭、社区、一个世界之公民那样把我们
连结在一起。新经济理论必须为革新精神而不是盲目模仿所激励，为尊贵而不是剥削所促进，为妇女的完全而自信的参与所推动。
11.Economic considerations underlying poverty alleviation efforts have generally focused on the creation of wealth but have not yet fully considered the parallel problem of the over-concentration of wealth. In an interconnected world, where the wealth of many of the world’s richest individuals exceeds the Gross Domestic Product of entire nations, extreme poverty and extreme wealth exist side by side. While much of the focus of remedial efforts is directed towards the poorest, it is the concentration of wealth in the hands of the few that is in urgent need of attention. Indeed, the tremendous wealth generated by transnational corporations could be an integral part of the solution to tackle poverty, through strict regulation to ensure good global citizenship, adherence to human rights norms and the distribution of wealth for the benefit of the larger society. Where a nation’s wealth is concerned, the question becomes one of social value rather than gross dollar measures. The Gross Domestic Product, for example, aggregates the sum total of all economic activity –including the production of guns, cigarettes, etc. – regardless of its social worth or environmental impact. New measures that account for pollutants and economic ills and add unmeasured, unremunerated benefits are needed for a more accurate picture of a nation’s economic health and wealth.[16]
Sustainable development
12.It has been widely acknowledged that economic prosperity has come at a tremendous cost to our natural environment.[17] In fact, no country has emerged as a major industrial power without a legacy of significant environmental damage, affecting the security and well-being of its own populations and, equally significantly, those of developing nations. The growth-driven economic paradigm rooted in national interests at the expense of social and environmental variables and international well-being is under increasing scrutiny. Challenging ethical questions of resource distribution and responsibility for damages force governments to develop institutional mechanisms and implement policies that consider the prosperity and health of the global community and that of future generations. On an institutional level, a global entity with a strong scientific advisory capacity is needed to streamline reporting and decision-making processes, including the voices of non-state actors. It must coherently link environmental issues to social and economic priorities, for none of these can advance in isolation.[18] At the educational level, curricula must seek to develop a sense of responsibility towards the natural environment as well as foster a spirit of inquiry and innovation so that the diversity of human experience can be brought to bear on the challenge of creating an environmentally sustainable development pathway.
Agriculture
13.A core element of a strategy of sustainable development is the reform of agricultural policies and processes. Food production and agriculture is the world’s single largest source of employment; nearly 70% of the poor in developing countries live in rural areas and depend on agriculture for their livelihoods.[19] Although farming has been devalued by manufacturing and a rapidly expanding urban population, agriculture still represents the fundamental basis of economic and community life: malnourishment and food insecurity suffocate all attempts at development and progress. Despite this pivotal role, poverty is often concentrated in rural areas. Damage to natural resources, poor information and infrastructure often result in food insecurity, premature deaths and mass migration to urban areas in search of a better life. The farmer must be accorded his or her rightful place in the processes of
development and civilization building: as the villages are reconstructed, the cities will follow.
Employment
14.The provision of meaningful work represents an essential component of poverty alleviation efforts. The meaningful engagement of young people becomes even more important as urban populations sw
ell and, with them, the increase of slums, rising crime rates, use of drugs, unemployment, breakdown of family structures and social isolation. Today, young people between the ages of 15-29 account for nearly half of all adults in 100 economically disadvantaged nations. Lack of meaningful employment only feeds their hopelessness and frustration. Yet it is not only the quantity but also the quality and meaning of work that needs to be reconsidered. Whether tilling the soil or selling goods, one’s work should not be reduced to a means for acquiring more goods or as an expendable cost of production. One’s work is the means of developing one’s craft, of refining one’s character, and contributing to the welfare and progress of society. Indeed, the fight against underemployment must begin with the dignity and value of all human labor, even if it is humble, insecure, unprofitable or unremunerated.
Knowledge
15.Underlying the meaningful participation in the advancement of society and the higher aims of civilization is the bulwark of education. While many poverty eradication programs have focused on increasing enrollment in primary and secondary education – which is the first step – the long-term goal must also be articulated: namely to create a society in which the production, diffusion and application of knowledge infuses all facets of human activity. This requires interventions at all levels including child-rearing practices that foster questioning; equal educational opportunities for boys and girls; devel
opment of independent media sources; translation of texts from other cultures and the promotion of innovation and scientific research. In order to be free to innovate, to devise solutions to complex problems, the human mind must be free to know.
16.In our efforts to eradicate poverty, we are experiencing no less than the birth pangs of a truly global civilization: new modes of thought, new standards and new legal and institutional arrangements are struggling to take hold. As our understanding of the problems and their possible solutions expands, an unprecedented global consensus and accompanying capacity for international cooperation pave the way for an outcome far greater than any we have been able to achieve. Yet, to generate the knowledge and commitment needed to overcome poverty, the full spectrum of human spiritual and intellectual potential will need to be summoned for the task. And as the fullness of our humanity is engaged, it will regenerate the fabric of civilization.
在消除贫困的努力中，我们经历了真正的全球文明分娩的阵痛：新的思维方式、新的标准、新的法律和制度上的安排，不断竞相出现。随着我们对问题及其可能的解决方案的理解的加深，全球的空前一致和随之而来的国际合作能力，为取得更大的成就——远远超过我们以往所能取得的任何成就——铺平了道路。但是，为了激发战胜贫困所需的知识创新和责任承诺，需要激发人类精神和智力的全部潜能来完成这项任务。当人类致力于人性的成熟时，成熟的人性将革新文明的底蕴和内涵。