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Should a government feed its people?

Written by Open Thread

Wednesday, 27 June 2007

Is it the government’s duty to ensure all its citizens are fed or should this be regarded as personal responsibility?

When disaster and famine strike, is it part of the government's function to give humanitarian aid to those who may be without food and shelter, or should it do this simply out of goodwill? If the government should provide food to starving people in Wajir, should it also feed those starving on Nairobi's streets? When does it cross the line between helping the disadvantaged into providing welfare?

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written by kendirangu , June 29, 2007

Is it the government’s duty to ensure all its citizens are fed ? -- On whose expense ?
I think this experiment was carried out and it was deemed a failure.

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Either....or
written by Jackie , June 30, 2007

If the government deems it too expensive to feed its citizens, I can only imagine that they would end up paying even more to enforce law on these very same citizens, driven to crime, by their survival instincts to feed themselves

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BIG NO
written by Kimani S. Njoroge , June 30, 2007

Economist Amartya Sen (1998 Nobel Prize in Economic) has written several books on this topic. His claims that "no democratic country ever goes hungry." Read more herehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amartya_Sen.

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Responsibilty
written by Anon , June 30, 2007

Just similar to any other important role like building roads it is only the government that has the resources to have a benevolent approach toward feeding its people , industry will not do it for profit reasons.I also believe it is the govts responsibility to ensure the well being of its people other wise what is the purpose of having one.

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