Buddhist Ethics: Balancing between the Rights of the Rich and the Poor (Essay Sample)

Buddhist Ethics: Balancing between the Rights of the Rich and the Poor
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Institution
The moral justification of the pursuit of wealth is one of the ethical issues that have concerned philosophers for ages. In the Poetics, for instance, Aristotle explores the importance of material possessions in the pursuit of happiness (Aristotle, 1942). One of the arguments that he makes concerning happiness is that being able to satisfy one’s material needs is a source of happiness. Later philosophers, such as John Stuart Mill, attribute happiness to the freedom to pursue and enjoy one’s material and spiritual desires. The point of contention, however, is at what expense and to which individuals can pursue happiness without violating their moral obligations to others and society in general. Writing in On Liberty, Mill offers that individuals should be free to pursue happiness as long as their pursuit does not interfere with the happiness of others (Mill, 2012, p. 77)). Applying this concept to the question under discussion- how members of a wealthy nation should balance between their rights and the rights of survival of people in poor nations- the obvious answer is that the obligation of citizens in rich countries is to acquire wealth in ways that do not promote the improvisation or exploitation of poor countries.
Buddhist ethics supports Mill’s idea by praising wealth that is acquired justly. In addition, Buddhism counsels that praiseworthy wealth is one that is used not only to satisfy personal needs, but also to help the less fortunate. The Pali Canon in Buddhism encourages lay disciples to pursue wealth to avoid not just to avoid poverty, but also to use it for good causes. Buddhist scriptures condemn wealth that is acquired through greed, stinginess, hoarding of wealth, and stinginess (Harvey, 2000, p. 190). Applying these principles to the American society, it appears that the consumerism culture of many middle and upper class Americans violates the rights of people in poor nations. In an article in the Wall Street Journal, renowned author and theorist Peter Sing observes that the upper and middle class American society is obsesses with consumerism, spending excessive money on things that they do not need. While spending one’s wealth is a personal right, ethical issues arise when one considers the means that support American consumerism. Of particular concern are the unequal trade relationships between poor and rich countries, largely due to the technological advantage of industrialized nations. For instance, poor countries must export tones of agricultural products to import a few industrial products, such as machinery. This situation implies that citizens of poor countries are exploited in the international market in terms of the amount of resources they must give up in exchange for western technology and industrial products.
It will be naïve, however, to conclude that the wealthy westerner is guilty of the suffering of citizens in poor countries. The moral question is not how developed countries use technology to their advantage, but how they use their position to create and promote a fair world. In this regard, one way through which citizens in rich countries can balance between their rights to pursue wealth and happiness, and the survival of people in poor nations, is to give back to the underprivileged through donations and charity work. The practice of helping poor nations is one of the national policies of industrialized countries in their efforts to bridge the gap between the developed and third world countries. Every year, western nations give donations and support development projects in poor countries, such as building of schools and hospitals, and construction of roads.
At the individual level, many citizens from rich countries volunteer for charity work, in addition to giving individual donations, to support poverty eradication programs in poor countries. Another good example is the adoption of children from poor countries, thus helping to lessen the burden of care on poor parents and underfunded foster care facilities. Personally, I help the poor through occasional token contributions and volunteering in charity work within the country. What is ignores often is that even in rich countries like America there are millions of people who struggle to live from day to day, for example the homeless. Even in poor countries, there are people who are richer than the average American. My view, therefore, is that the right approach is not to bridge the gap between poor and rich countries, but bet...