After the Millennium Development Goals. Remarks on the ethical assessment of global poverty reduction success

Authors

  • Teppo Eskelinen Department of social sciences and philosophy, University of Jyväskylä, Finland

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5324/eip.v12i1.2348

Abstract

The Millennium Development Goals were effective from 2000 to 2015. Statistics show that most of the goals were met, and particularly success in the goal of reducing extreme poverty (MDG1) gained wide recognition. Despite the strong ethical language related to poverty reduction, there has been little analysis of the ethical significance of the MDG achievements. Since statistical and ethical definitions and representations of poverty never completely overlap, conclusions concerning ethical progress are not directly available from the statistics. This article shows how this ethical significance can be analysed and what kinds of controversies and uncertainties relate to the issue. As part of this analysis, utilitarian issues, population ethics, and the social aspect of poverty are discussed.

Keywords: poverty, Millennium Development Goals, statistics, ethics, poverty line

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Author Biography

Teppo Eskelinen, Department of social sciences and philosophy, University of Jyväskylä, Finland

University lecturer in international development

Department of social sciences

University of Jyväskylä

Photo of Terra Incognita – Den hvite plassen memorial park in Trondheim, Norway

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Published

2018-04-26

How to Cite

Eskelinen, T. (2018). After the Millennium Development Goals. Remarks on the ethical assessment of global poverty reduction success. Etikk I Praksis - Nordic Journal of Applied Ethics, 12(1), 61-75. https://doi.org/10.5324/eip.v12i1.2348

Issue

No. 1 (2018)

Section

Artikler - Articles

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