Global Obligation to Reduce Poverty Through Virtue Ethics

Introduction

When determining an ethical answer to any question, the most important step is to identify the ethical framework by which one examines the issue. Different ethical frameworks define what actions are moral and what actions are immoral. For the issue of the global obligation to address poverty, the central question is whether one has a moral obligation to help those in other parts of the world who are suffering from poverty. This paper uses the virtue ethics framework to answer that question in the affirmative: one does have a moral obligation to help others around the world because doing so helps to develop one's own habit of virtue.

The Virtue Ethics Framework

Virtue ethics is an ancient and universal ethical system that has been utilized in both the East and the West for millennia (Gong, 2010). Its focus is on the individual development of human character so that people achieve happiness through right conduct that enables them to better themselves. The fundamental idea at the heart of virtue ethics is that when people conform themselves to a high standard of morality, they will act in a way that is beneficial for all of society. The system of virtue ethics posits that the best moral action is that which will develop a person's character for the better (Holmes, 2007).

The moral character of the individual expresses itself in the development of virtuous habits. The conformity of the individual will to an objective value or ideal — such as empathy, patience, charity, or humility — is what the system of virtue ethics recommends. This system remains perfectly applicable today, for as Gong (2010) states, "virtues are a moral resource for modern people to resist modern evils" (p. 255). The main challenge in applying the virtue ethics framework is that it requires the formation or education of character (Kristjánsson, 2014; Lickona, 1993). Unless the moral character of the individual is educated about what constitutes, objectively, the values that should be pursued and held in esteem, virtue ethics cannot be properly applied.

Reasons for a Global Obligation

The first reason one has a global obligation to help those suffering from poverty is that charity is a reasonable and logical virtue to possess in a world where one is in a position to help those less fortunate. Charity helps to alleviate the suffering of others, builds rapport among people, and sustains a sense of balance. Because virtue is a disposition, one who is disposed to help others demonstrates the virtue of charity to the degree that he actually provides assistance. Therefore, a person who claims to be virtuous but who does not offer help to others in need cannot be said to be fulfilling the tenets of virtue ethics.

The second reason one has a global obligation to help those suffering from poverty, from the virtue ethics standpoint, is that practical wisdom demands it. In practice, one may help one's neighbors whether they are in one's own community or on the other side of the world. Globalism has enabled greater integration of peoples all over the world, making it possible and practical to provide assistance to impoverished people in distant countries by giving to charities and organizations established for that very purpose. Were such organizations not in place, it might be impractical to consider a global obligation to fight poverty — but that is not the case in the modern age, where everyone is connected through various networks, making it easy to provide support in this manner.

The third reason one has a global obligation to help those suffering from poverty, according to the framework of virtue ethics, is that the point of virtue is happiness and well-being. It is posited within this framework that the good life is achieved when a person is virtuous, for virtue is what leads to happiness. From a target-centered perspective, a virtue is simply a disposition to respond to a situation in a way that is excellent. Because people are social creatures who do not live entirely for themselves but rather contribute in a meaningful and supportive way to society, it stands to reason that the most excellent way to respond to those in need is to lend a helping hand if one has it to give. The most excellent disposition a person may strive to attain is one that can be considered god-like — all-giving, all-loving, and all-merciful. A person who shows mercy and love to others in need is one who can be said to be living excellently and attaining the good life, for he does not live for himself alone but rather in a way that supports others as well.

Conclusion

In spite of these objections, an objective standpoint shows that virtues are identifiable and ought to be developed within the character so as to benefit both the individual and his society. In a global society, it is possible to show charity to others across great distances; thus, one has an obligation, from the standpoint of practical wisdom, to provide that support. In doing so, one achieves personal happiness and contributes to the happiness of society as a whole.

References

Gong, Q. (2010). Virtue ethics and modern society — A response to the thesis of the modern predicament of virtue ethics. Frontiers of Philosophy in China, 5(2), 255–265.

Holmes, A. (2007). Ethics: Approaching moral decisions. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

Kristjánsson, K. (2014). There is something about Aristotle: The pros and cons of Aristotelianism in contemporary moral education. Journal of Philosophy of Education, 48(1), 48–68.

Lickona, T. (1993). The return of character education. Educational Leadership, 51(3), 6–11.