"...But we have done the work and proven in every way that we can that giving people hope is the best way to avoid conflict. Giving them an investment in their lives and a chance to think of their children and give their children opportunity is the best way to stop them going out and creating conflict.
So when one talks of the issue in the Security Council of the prevention of conflict, central to that is the very simple notion of giving people work, giving them an opportunity. And so for that reason, I think this subject is really important in this body, because we're spending $900 billion on defense annually, Mr. President, and we're spending $50 billion a year, or a little more, on development. And I rather feel if we spent $900 billion on development and getting people to have jobs and go into business, we probably wouldn't need more than $50 billion for defense....
...And the main cause of conflict is lack of hope, and hope can be given by business and by jobs."
- Extracts from an address by James D. Wolfensohn: President of the World Bank speaking to the United Nations Security Council, a few weeks ago.
I'm meant to be collaborating on a short book on the subject of hope.. if anyone has any useful material please email it my way. Do you have hope? .. What is it? .. Is it hope that other people could share with you? .. Is it hope that you can spread? .. Do you know how to spread it, or want to? .. What scales does this hope work on? .. Would $900 billion give you more hope? .. How solid and real is this hope? .. Is it coherent or fragmented? .. So many many questions.
So when one talks of the issue in the Security Council of the prevention of conflict, central to that is the very simple notion of giving people work, giving them an opportunity. And so for that reason, I think this subject is really important in this body, because we're spending $900 billion on defense annually, Mr. President, and we're spending $50 billion a year, or a little more, on development. And I rather feel if we spent $900 billion on development and getting people to have jobs and go into business, we probably wouldn't need more than $50 billion for defense....
...And the main cause of conflict is lack of hope, and hope can be given by business and by jobs."
- Extracts from an address by James D. Wolfensohn: President of the World Bank speaking to the United Nations Security Council, a few weeks ago.
I'm meant to be collaborating on a short book on the subject of hope.. if anyone has any useful material please email it my way. Do you have hope? .. What is it? .. Is it hope that other people could share with you? .. Is it hope that you can spread? .. Do you know how to spread it, or want to? .. What scales does this hope work on? .. Would $900 billion give you more hope? .. How solid and real is this hope? .. Is it coherent or fragmented? .. So many many questions.
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