Why are the people there poor?

June 23, 2005 6:29 AM

I recently received a letter from a friend of mine in a developing country. An article from a famous local poet was attached, and in this article the poet offered his explanations for the causes of poverty. The poet found, among other things, the people’s own laziness, their lacking industriousness and the indolence and corruption of the ruling politicians all to be at fault for this poverty.
posted by The Jesse Helms (10 comments total)

Sweet! We've sorted that out then. Next problem.
posted by lazywhinerkid at 6:43 AM on June 23, 2005

Um ... from An introduction to Marxist political economy. Which is ok by me, but I think you could have said ???
posted by TimothyMason at 7:04 AM on June 23, 2005

Also, god is punishing them for that terrible thing they did err...etc.
posted by Skygazer at 7:11 AM on June 23, 2005

"If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat." -2 Thessalonians 3:10

"Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him." -Proverbs 14:31
posted by aaronshaf at 7:23 AM on June 23, 2005

I should maybe qualify this and say I just thought it was interesting in 2005.
posted by The Jesse Helms at 7:32 AM on June 23, 2005

But then the rest of the page goes on to contradict the first line you quoted. I'm not sure the point of quoting that particular first line aside from shock value--it's not like you even linked to the poetry itself.

So, um, what?
posted by Anonymous at 8:26 AM on June 23, 2005

If you actually read the article, what you quote has basically nothing to do with what the author is saying.
posted by chunking express at 8:48 AM on June 23, 2005

Since when do we expect the poster to read the article? This ain' Plastic.
posted by mischief at 8:57 AM on June 23, 2005

Yeah, this is just basic Marxist economic analysis. Did you read the article, The Jesse Helms?
posted by languagehat at 12:44 PM on June 23, 2005

I read some of the article...

Aside from that, the poet's opinion largely reflects what I have heard first-hand from a number of middle-class people in Africa: the people are lazy, they just want government or charity handouts, the politicians are corrupt...yep, 100% what appears to be currency for (sections of?) the African elites.
posted by UbuRoivas at 10:14 PM on June 23, 2005