DP# 3. Existentialist dilemma
To growth or not to growth. This seems to be the question that guides the current social debate. As it is obvious, there is no agreement on the answer. The civil society tends to look profit with disfavor. As a response of an increasing inequality and poverty, as well as the abuses committed by some corporations, there is a more fequent trend that “demonized” the profit making. The private sector claims that is through the generation of wealth that is possible to achieve development.
I am aware of the risk that generalizations, like I made before, have. They hide the nuances and complexities of each point of view. However, they help to illustrate that, once again, we are looking to the wrong direction. In fact, the problem relies on the question, not on the answer. This situation outlines a practical reflection, more ethical than moral. The issue is on the how.
The debate should not be centered on whether one is, in general, in favor of growth or against it. The questions should focus on the specific policies to increase growth. It is true that economic growth is a necessary stage in the development process. But, some of these policies that pretend to promote growth can also increase poverty, while others can reduce it. Some growth strategies may be good for the environment; others may not be.
At the end, we want to live in a society that assures all freedoms that allow us to live the life that we desire. This means a society that assures economic opportunities, political liberties and democracy, and enabling conditions of good health and basic education. And it is through the instrument of policies that it is possible or not to build this kind of society. So, are our current policies promoting a sustainable growth and increasing the living standards for all today and tomorrow? What is happening with the benefits of growth? Is the distribution equitable? Does it create a society with more social justice and solidarity?
Took from http://www.worldbank.org/
The citizens’ concerns and demands should be focus more on how business is being doing than on a judgment of the fact of making profit. Of course, both issues are related; an ethical business not only has a profit- making goal.
It is on the how that I make the ethical claim, from and for a practical perspective of economics and business. In fact, ethical concerns could be related to economic efficiency values, competitiveness, growth and, at the same time, to satisfy all basic needs, foster capabilities and promote people’s freedoms in an equitable way .The invisible hand of the market rests on very visible hands, such as decision and actions of governments, policy makers, companies and citizens.
Ps: I don’t want to finish without telling you about a great initiative that ilustrates how is possible to incorporates (practical) ethical values into the market dynnamic. The Health Impact Fund -HIF. This is a proposed new way of paying for pharmaceutical innovation that provides a market-based solution to problems concerning the development and distribution of medicines. The aim of the project is to create the incentives for the research and development of new pharmaceutical products that reduce the global burden of desease. The mechanisms is simple: all the pharmaceutical could have the option to register new medicines in the Fund. By this, a firm agrees to provide its drug at cost anywhere it is needed, and in exchange for foregoing the normal profits from drug sales, the firm is rewarded based on the HIF’s assessment of the actual global health impact of the drug. The Fund wants to solve the lack of access to medicine that poor people face.
This initiative was created by a team of researchers, experts and practitioners in various areas. The team is divided into an Advisory Board, a Scientific Advisory Committee and Scientific Advisory Committee. some of the members are Kenneth J. Arrow, Noam Chomsky, Amartya Sen, Tomas Pogge and Peter Singer.
For more information see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_Impact_Fund
Comments Off on DP# 3. Existentialist dilemma /
03 Jan 2012
por
Diana Patricia Sanchez Barajas
IMSD /
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