Philosophical Approaches to Undernutrition Text Extracted from: The World Food Problem Leathers & Foster, 2004 http://www.lastfirst.net/images/product/R004548.jpg

Ethics: Pope John Paul II “Contrasts between poverty and wealth are intolerable for humanity” “It is the task of nations, their leaders, their economic powers and all people of goodwill to seek every opportunity for a more equitable sharing of resources” Example of Beneficence Personal moral duty to help the poor

Ethics: Right to Food? Right to Food Now must address hunger issue Included in International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Adopted by UN 1976 Signed by 85 countries Not ratified by U.S.A. Now must address hunger issue to protect fundamental rights of society Don’t need to feel personal moral duty to help the poor United Nations

Ethics: Right to Food? Rights taken very seriously Absolute entitlement Non-negotiable Would require government to act to prevent hunger Conflict with property rights?

Economist’s Questions What is the appropriate policy for society as a whole? How can government best manipulate human greed to achieve its policy objectives?

Economics Policy Decisions Every action has costs and benefits Marginal costs and benefits For 1% increase in cost, what is the increase in benefits? Ideal decision: where marginal costs = marginal benefits Free market will allocate resources optimally, but Without concern for Social costs Environmental costs Can everything be put in dollar terms?

Externalities Costs and benefits sometimes go to people outside the market transaction Should poor benefit from costs borne by wealthy? Should wealthy benefit from costs borne By the poor? By the environment?

How much would you pay for… A human life? Airbags in every car? Speed limit 10 MPH? Nutrition for every man, woman, and child? Food without pesticide residue? No pollution? Freedom? Fair trade?

Harnessing greed in policy: economic incentives More expensive to have children More expensive to degrade environment Need property rights Production increases with reward If we eat less, other countries won’t benefit Farmers will produce less As demand increases, efficiency increases Products made available more cheaply Alternatives found

Policy to reduce undernutrition? On average, 250 Calories/day would erase Calorie deficit of hungry Cost 35 cents/day/person = $6,400 invested at 2% interest Value of Human Life? But for 800 million people, this policy would Increase food prices Increase environmental costs of food production

Policies to raise incomes of poor Redistribute income from rich to poor Rationale: declining marginal utility of income Rich don’t benefit from a dollar spent as much as poor do But should incomes be equalized? Improve rate of economic growth Is Globalization beneficial to developing nations?

Policies to reduce price of food Population reduction Demand will rise slower Food prices will rise slower Increasing supply Research investment Loans to farmers

Policies to reduce cost of food Price supports Sell food to consumers Subsidies to farmers Both reduce economic efficiency Therefore distortionary Corrective price policies Example: correcting distortions that reduce food output Example: To feed hungry has indirect benefit to wealthy We feel better = externality No market for this