Finding hope in times of crisis

Frequent headlines of trade wars and real wars, economic disruptions and humanitarian disasters indicate a world that is in the midst of multiple crises.

- BHARAT DOGRA

Although economic, political and military aspects get more attention, there are also significant ecological, social and ethical dimensions of this crisis.

On the economic side, increasing numbers of people worldwide are facing difficulties in meeting basic needs of life. This is true despite claims being made of significant decline in poverty. At one extreme are several million people trapped in serious humanitarian crisis situations, facing famine or nearly there, who must confront death caused by hunger and extreme malnutrition. In the second category are much larger numbers who face chronic shortages of several basic needs of life. Even in some affluent countries like the USA and UK, the number of homeless people, or even the number of children living in poverty, has recently been at high and increasing levels.

Thirdly, a large number of people are just on the margins of being able to meet their needs, and any big economic disruption, and there have been quite a few in recent years, pushes them into the category of those who are unable to meet their basic needs.

Policies which reduce inequalities, including redistributive and fiscal policies, are increasingly being denied while disruptive policies with uncertain outcomes are favoured, although they accentuate problems of weaker sections. There is a significant shortfall in budgets for meeting life-saving expenses.