Some interesting research from Oxfam draws the conclusion that "the resources devoted to the global financial bailout are sufficient to end world poverty for half a century." As of January 2009, $8.424 trillion has been promised to banks and other financial service firms. In comparison, the cost to lift the 1.4 billion people living in poverty above the $1.25/day threshold is $173 billion. Of course, the complexity of the problem cannot be summed up by two numbers, but the comparison is still important. It shows us just how much resources we have, and making poverty history is mainly a matter of how we use those resources.
Source: AlertNet
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