China announced its first batch of recipients of the China Poverty Eradication Award on October 17, International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. Eighteen institutions and individuals were honoured [sic] for their tremendous contributions to China's anti-poverty campaign. This suggests that the poverty-relief cause has become more important in the pantheon of policy issues in China.
If we had a Billion people in the US think of what we could have accomplished by now. Look at what we have done over the last 200 years. Freedom allows people the ability to be creative. Creativity leads to inventions. Inventions lead to better lifestyles.
The Chinese Government and the people have paid unremitting and enduring efforts to fight poverty. During the anti-poverty campaign from 1978 to 2003, China hauled 220 million people out of abject poverty. The percentage of poor among the rural population also dropped to 3.1 per cent from 30.7 per cent. Poverty reduction has been achieved on a scale unprecedented in human history. Despite all the achievements, we should keep a clear eye of the challenges ahead. At the moment, the poor are only guaranteed some basic living needs for food, shelter and clothing. Yet there is still a long and arduous journey ahead before these needy people will be able to lead a more decent life.
People in poverty in the US have TV's, VCR's, Car's, Air conditioning, Food, Medicine, etc at levels equal to the MIDDLE CLASS of most European countries. We must have been doing something right for the last 200 years... I say we keep it going like it is.