Workers Solidarity Movement

The 1994 Human Development Report issued by the United Nations reveals that:

• "Between 1960 and 1991, the share of world income for the richest 20 percent of the global population rose from 70 percent to 85 percent. Over the same period, all but the richest 20% saw their share of world income fall - and the meagre share of the poorest 20 percent declined from 2.3 percent to 1.4 percent."
• The military budgets of developing countries totals $125 billion annually, just 12 percent of that would make it possible for a billion people to visit a healthcare professional, prevent two million children from dying of preventable infectious diseases every year, provide proper diet for 192 million malnourished children and access to safe water to 1.3 billion people.
• In 1993, more than 35 million persons in industrialised countries were seeking jobs.

Originally published in Workers Solidarity 44, 1995