Day Four: So Call Me a Socialist!

I'm digging out my Birkenstocks and heading for the local commune... well, not exactly. Not yet.

This issue of poverty has got my head spinning & my mind racing with ideas. I came across the idea of a Robin Hood Tax in the UK. This would be a 0.05% tax on financial transactions (big banks, investors). robinhoodtax.org Taking from the rich to help the poor. Sounds reasonable to me. Another idea that intrigues me is the: 25 in 5 Campaign. 25in5.ca (this website focuses on the efforts in Ontario but is based on similar campaigns in Europe). Like the names says, it aims to reduce the rate of poverty by 25% in 5 years (and by 50% in 10 years!). The provincial government is targeted as the method to make it happen- hence, making a social agenda a priority & encouraging a strong social safety net (i.e. affordable housing, childcare- think Quebec, raising the minimum wage, ensuring access to medical and dental services). So, do I need to sign up as a member of a socialist party to get on board?

Not necessarily, here are some ideas from John Madeley (a UK writer associated with "Make Poverty History") to fight poverty locally and worldwide:
1) Write to your leaders. By writing to MPs, MLAs, mayors, etc. it helps raise the profile of poverty. On a national level, he advocates writing about extending debt relief to developing nations & giving more aid to developing nations.
2) Tackle climate change: the UN Food and Agriculture Committee is concerned about food output and the affect recent floods and severe weather have had on global food production (spelling it out- less food= higher food costs= less "nourishing" food for those in poverty). Madeley suggests many eco-friendly actions that fight climate change and ultimately, poverty.
3) Use your purchasing power: make the choice to purchase fair trade items ( & look beyond coffee!)
4) Spread the word: Madeley even encourages the reader to become a "media guerrilla" by writing to local newspapers, organizing events that attract media attention, and generally raising awareness of poverty locally & worldwide.

So maybe I'm not a socialist, just a social-media guerrilla.