Poverty eradication: the need for good citizenship

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Date
2003
Authors
Naudé, Wim
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
English: This paper makes use of game theory to argue that poverty and inequality can be understood as the outcome of a repeated game in which the players are caught in a poverty trap, or “prisoners’ dilemma”. They can escape this dilemma by means of cooperation and co-ordination, requiring appropriately designed “institutions” or “game rules”. However, such institutions or game rules may be only a necessary, not a sufficient condition for this. From the perspectives of evolutionary biology and evolutionary psychology a case is made for the indispensability of good citizenship to poverty eradication.
Afrikaans: In hierdie artikel word daar vanuit ’n spelteoretiese perspektief geargumenteer dat armoede en ongelykheid die resultaat is van ’n herhalende spel waarin die spelers in ‘n armoedevalstrik of “prisoniersdilemma” vasgevang is. Hulle kan uit hierdie gevangenskap ontsnap deur koördinering en samewerking waarvoor gepaste “instellings” of “spelreëls” nodig is. Gepaste instellings/spelreëls is egter wel ’n nodige, maar nie ’n voldoende voorwaarde vir koördinering en samewerking nie. Insigte uit die evolusionêre biologie en evolusionêre psigologie word gebruik om te argumenteer dat goeie burgerskap noodsaaklik is vir armoedeverligting.
Description
Keywords
Poverty, Poverty eradication, Citizenship
Citation
Naudé, W. (2003). Poverty eradication: the need for good citizenship. Acta Academica, 35(2), 35-61.