Comments on A Way to Reduce Inequity

Summary:
    Companies are largely revenue-oriented. As long as they are getting money, they don't care about to whom they are selling their product. It is easy for R&D to benefits the rich make money from them. I will introduce some way that companies can help the poor as well as making profit. 


In this week's reading, Prof. Woodhouse introduced six categories of policy that might reduce inequity, among which I feel interested in the first point "R&D focused on poor people's problems"

Yes, the more R&D is focused on the poor, the more efficiency, knowledge and opportunity will be given to them. If R&D only cares about the frontier, science would gather knowledge faster than society gather wisdom, and as a result the gap between science and society grows in to the conflict between the rich and the poor. Only when their basic living standard is ensured can they contribute to R&D in labor, workshop and transportation. The poor are less likely to hinder and slow down the pace of technological change if they realize that the progress somehow benefits them. In real situations, however, R&D seldom shows enough care about the less affluent, neither rhetorically nor practically. 

R&D could be directed towards many things: scientific discovery, higher education or people's convenience. But don't forget that they are directed by humans. More specifically, businessmen. So in most cases, R&D are to some extend revenue-oriented. If a firm wants to make fast money, it'd better consider the needs of the affluent and powerful. For example, luxury clothing, sports car, hi-end stereo system, all satisfy the rich with latest technologies and fashionable design. Companies only have to updated their products once a year and in comes considerable revenue. There are seemingly no reason for R&D to focus on the poor besides so-called humanitarian responsibility. 

However, on the discussion section this Tuesday, my group mate had a good point on why it is profitable for firms to focus on poor people's problem. If their problem is solved, they will be more likely to participate in the general technoscientific progress and earn the firm more money in the long run. Focusing on people's problem is to some extend means solving the problem of the majority of society. The prospect of the needs of majority of society is cheerful and full of possibility. For example, as introduced in the textbook, some poor people are living without access to the basic technologies that purify water and treat sanitary waste. Those who have already have the access might also want to live healthier, better the environment and do it more efficiently. So they basically have the same need. When company focus on the poor, it is actually helping the majority of society. 

Same strategy works for many similar product, such as food supply, air conditioner, refrigerator, everything that is related to the basic needs. Those are needs of not only the poor but also everyone. Even those who have already purchased these products are still looking forward to upgrade their living standard. 

The poor take no luxury into the consideration of inequity. They only care about getting what they deserve. Equity is not about people earning equally, but the satisfaction of basic human needs.