Reading Journal3 - Essay Example

Reading Journal Summary The article, The Singer Solution to World Poverty by Peter Singer talks about how giving to charity can help to reduce world poverty (Singer 1-3). On the other hand, the article, A Development Nightmare by Kenneth Rogoff considers a scenario where every country suddenly enjoyed the same per capita income as the United States, or roughly $40,000 per year (Rogoff 1). Rogoff considers a situation where foreign aid worked and economic development happened overnight instead of over centuries (Rogoff 1).

Notably, Singer donates 20% of his income to famine-relief agencies (Singer 1). Singer asserts that average families in U.S spend about one-third of their income on luxuries (Singer 1). Rogoff notes that the developed nations are seemingly preventing and fearing what will happen if the developing countries really did catch up with the developed nations (Rogoff 1). He reckons that such a scenario would lead to negative effects on the global environment, economy, markets, populations, global trade especially in developed nations (Rogoff 1).

However, it would also foster greater diversity and knowledge spillovers, technological spin-offs, faster productivity growth, and rapid economic development in developing nations that would fully offset the losses to the rich (Rogoff 1).Rogoff states that we need to address the underlying fears for globalization to work. By giving up their own trade protectionism, corruption, overweening government intervention, and mountains of debt, poor countries would derive maximum benefits from globalization (Rogoff 1).

Moreover, by giving up their outrageous farm protection, competition for anti-dumping champion, and doubling aid flows from developed nations would benefit poor countries (Rogoff 1). On the same note, Singer derives that many people are capable but unwilling to donate to charity citing various uncertainties (Singer 2). In fact, Rogoff reckons that developed countries could easily afford to triple their aid budgets for education, health, and infrastructure without running the remotest risk of a catch-up by the developing nations (Rogoff 1).

Growth economics confirm that the catch-up rate is very small and might take generations to materialize. Singer believes that many readers will donate to charity after sacrificing their luxuries according to their income levels. Rogoff People should give more than their fair share and desist from depending on the government to increase its overseas aid allocations (Singer 3). Rogoff concludes that Rich countries should give generously to sensible development policies without fearing the nightmare of a catch-up (Rogoff 1).

AnalysisSinger intends this article to American citizens, federal government, and the wealthy, philosophers, and charity organizations like UNICEF that are fighting to reduce poverty in the world since it presents a solution to world poverty (Singer 1-3). On the other hand, Rogoff intends this article to global economists, developing nations, and rich nations fearing for a development nightmare that would result if foreign aid worked and economic development happened overnight instead of over centuries (Rogoff 1).

Ideally, the purpose of the two articles is to present foreign donation to charitable agencies as a philosophical solution to global poverty. Indeed, Singer shows how many families in U.S are capable but unwilling to give to charity despite knowing the potential of foreign aid to address world poverty (Singer 1-3). Additionally, Rogoff states that rich nations “could channel money into health in Africa, into education, and into infrastructure and other necessities with little danger of any rapid catch-up” (1).

Singer makes the rhetorical decisions with a view of showing the potential of the wealth American people towards addressing world poverty by sacrificing and donating the monies they spend on luxuries. On the other hand, Rogoff makes the rhetorical decisions to depict that rich countries could easily afford to triple their aid budgets without running the remotest risk of the "nightmare" scenario coming true (Rogoff 1). EvaluationSinger and Rogoff were successful at their purpose because they proved that by sacrificing their luxuries and giving donations, rich countries have the capacity to fight world poverty without any danger of any rapid catch-up.

The articles succeed in manifesting the potential of rich countries especially America to give to charity and the potential of charity to solve world poverty. As such, I liked the two articles since they were clear, detailed, persuasive, objective, and used practical examples and explanations to depict the potential and fears of developed nations in giving foreign aid to address world poverty. I believe that American citizens, developed nations, global economists, federal government, and poor nations would also like them.

However, I would have used dialogue and modern statistics to present a detailed and informed argument on how foreign aid can solve world poverty without any risk of any rapid catch-up. I would gladly recommend this article to the developed nations, federal governments, and charity organizations fighting to reduce poverty in the world.Works CitedRogoff, Kenneth. A Development Nightmare. January 1, 2004. Web. 29 July 2014. < http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2004/01/01/a_development_nightmare> Singer, Peter.

The Singer Solution to World Poverty. September 5, 1999. Web. 29 July 2014. < http://www.nytimes.com/1999/09/05/magazine/the-singer-solution-to-world-poverty.html>