Garrett Hardin Lifeboat Ethics Summary
Garrett Hardin in his article «Lifeboat Ethics: the Case Against Helping the Poor» asserts, that despite the existence of a competent distribution of various resources between rich and poor countries, which is also called «lifeboats» for needy, there are pitfalls that could cause critical damage for the citizens of these countries and for the countries as a whole (Hardin, 1974). Hardin seeks to convey to readers that people should be clearly aware that all reserves have a certain limit, which one day might be consumed. Also, he shows on the example of of the term "tragedy of the commons" that if the limit is overloaded, then someone will have to pay for it at any cost (Hardin, 1974). Furthermore, one of the main objectives of Hardin in his
article to show the absurdity of the existence of the World Food Bank, which is designed to ensure food for the poor countries. Firstly, some rich counties are using this bank for their personal gain and considering it as a source of income from the taxpayers. Secondly, almost all poor countries are always sure that they have a "a life preserver", which can be taken at any moment. Thus, the government of poor countries usually loses a sense of responsibility. It is for enough for them to exist at the expense of the rich countries, rather than to improve their domestic policy. The next reason against the World Food Bank is that it affects the population growth in poor countries. Rapid population growth in the countries, which use resources of other countries, are detrimental to the economy of rich countries by consuming the greater amount of inventory. Eventually, the World Food Bank might accelerate the pace of consumption absolutely all resources and destroy the environment which leads to global crises and disasters, and in the future to "the destruction of Mankind».
Also, one of the type of the lifeboat according to Hardin is immigration. The author shows the idea of «following food». Thus, immigrants from the poor countries become cheap labor which negatively affects the economy of the both sides. According to Garrett Hardin, the best way to get a third world countries to a new level is to make these countries responsible for all their actions and then they might develop, because the «lifeboat» is a disastrous conception which has a lot of negative consequences for rich and poor countries (Hardin, 1974).
article to show the absurdity of the existence of the World Food Bank, which is designed to ensure food for the poor countries. Firstly, some rich counties are using this bank for their personal gain and considering it as a source of income from the taxpayers. Secondly, almost all poor countries are always sure that they have a "a life preserver", which can be taken at any moment. Thus, the government of poor countries usually loses a sense of responsibility. It is for enough for them to exist at the expense of the rich countries, rather than to improve their domestic policy. The next reason against the World Food Bank is that it affects the population growth in poor countries. Rapid population growth in the countries, which use resources of other countries, are detrimental to the economy of rich countries by consuming the greater amount of inventory. Eventually, the World Food Bank might accelerate the pace of consumption absolutely all resources and destroy the environment which leads to global crises and disasters, and in the future to "the destruction of Mankind».
Also, one of the type of the lifeboat according to Hardin is immigration. The author shows the idea of «following food». Thus, immigrants from the poor countries become cheap labor which negatively affects the economy of the both sides. According to Garrett Hardin, the best way to get a third world countries to a new level is to make these countries responsible for all their actions and then they might develop, because the «lifeboat» is a disastrous conception which has a lot of negative consequences for rich and poor countries (Hardin, 1974).