The Evil Effects Of Poverty

By Rupert Johnson 

Poverty is like an evil monster whose vicious tentacles are far-reaching and destructive. There is no doubt that it has taken a stranglehold on millions of people across the world. And there is also no doubt that the victims of this calamitous situation will do desperate acts to extricate themselves.

Although many poverty-stricken people will reach out and seek refuge in peaceful religious movements of all kinds, others will express their discontent and frustration in extremely violent means. In other words, when many people are trapped in the monstrous grip of poverty they will lash out in all directions.

With the advent of the mass media such as radio, television, and the internet, millions of poor people are becoming more and more conscious of their social and economic inequities. And with this consciousness comes heightened expectations. When these expectations are unfulfilled a combination of discontent and frustration generally emerges.

This state of affairs has now become a breeding ground for the disaffected hordes across the globe. Rebellion against the existing social and economic inequities seems to find expression in acts of terrorism. But it should be noted that not all terrorists are socially and economically deprived. Many are privileged youngsters who have benefitted enormously from our mainstream societies. These activists appear to be misguided idealists who feel that they have a moral obligation to fight with the poor and downtrodden.

There is no doubt that those who are imbued with an idealistic idea against the status quo have had enormous appeal to the poor and disaffected. It should be understood that an idea can be a powerful force. It cannot be easily defeated with guns and bullets. It can be said that the only way to decimate an idea is to devise and initiate a better idea.

To destroy the breeding ground of terrorism, the powers that be have to make a concerted effort to alleviate the scourge of abject poverty across the globe. The fight against terrorism cannot be won on the battle field with a preponderance of military might alone.

It is quite obvious that poverty is a monstrous evil that must be crushed to prevent it from spreading. Nowhere is poverty more pandemic than in Africa. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, for example, “75 per cent of the population live below the poverty line—less than a dollar a day,” according to a U.N. Report. This is indeed a fertile place for the misguided allure of terrorism.

It was the late Nelson Mandela, former President of South Africa who said: “Massive poverty and obscene inequality are such terrible scourges of our times that they rank alongside slavery and apartheid as social evils.” He also said: “Where poverty exists there can be no freedom.” It can, therefore, be said that many people who are gripped within the evil tentacles of poverty will eventually lash out in violent ways to extricate themselves.

Rupert Johnson can be reached at: r.b.johnson@sympatico.ca.