According to former New Zealand Prime Minister Mike Moore, poverty is man-made, and the factors which lead to its elimination are well known. Mr Moore, who is a member of a United Nations commission on legal empowerment of the poor, says: “Countries with open economies, open trade, and open societies — those that cherish the rule of law, property and labour rights and democracy — do better.” Factors which assist in the reduction of poverty include:
- Democracy and freedom of the press: there has never been a famine in a democracy with a free press;
- Open economies: trade and competition result in efficient allocation of resources;
- Property rights, and private ownership spread fairly throughout society;
- Solid, trusted institutions: where trust emerges, investment increases;
- Independent courts; and
- A professional public service.
The work of the UN commission is focusing on the legal rights of the poor. 70% of children in the poorest countries start life at a considerable disadvantage because they have no birth certificate or legal identity. People who do not have access to secure property rights are less likely to be able to work their way out of poverty because their rights are subject to arbitrary deprivation and corruption. So a critical part of the battle against poverty involves securing legal rights for the poor.