One billion people on the planet are too poor, too hungry, too disease-burdened, too bereft of the most basic infrastructure even to get on the ladder of development. The rich world seems to be believe, despite all the fine speeches (and there have been many), that this doesn't really matter, because the actions of the rich countries don't begin to address this problem. We are leaving ten million people to die every year because they are too poor to stay alive. Fine speeches will not solve that problem.
Every year the BBC asks a leading scientist (yes, economics is a proper science) to give a series of lectures. This year the economist Jeffrey Sachs has given a series of lectures about the problems facing our generation and how they can be solved. The above quote is taken from his first lecture. He also gives a series of ideas of what we can do as individuals to address the problems. For the misguided amongst you who think that economics is not THE most interesting subject around, you can download the lectures from the links below.
It's a fascinating and crucial concept for us - peace as a way of solving problems.
Lecture 1
Lecture 2
Lecture 3
Lecture 4
Lecture 5
