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Happen to know a bunch of idiots who believe that charity is a cure for poverty (*rolls eyes). Using fancy terms like equitable distribution of wealth etc. might help you score some debating points and perhaps even make you sound intelligent… but it doesn't solve the problem.

There will be a gap between rich and poor and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. People who work hard or take calculated risks (that pay off) or are smarter (not necessarily in terms of academic qualifications) will succeed and prosper. Some might take longer than others, but eventually they will prosper.

People who are lazy, incompetent, unimaginative, unwilling to work hard and/or smart - will NOT. Please note - This doesn't necessarily imply that a labourer doesn't put in any effort when lugging heavy bags of cement at a construction site. That is termed as putting in effort. One could be exerting a lot of effort but if it doesn't pay off, it isn't worth it. How much effort one puts in is just as important as WHERE the effort is put in.

That said, it also doesn't necessarily imply that the labourer in question MUST BE poor. He may be or he may not be. Poverty is not defined by the job being performed. Poverty is not defined by the income / return one gets from one's efforts. Poverty is determined by how that income/return is utilised. Nature of job and income are definitely factors that contribute to the definition of poverty - BUT they do NOT define poverty by themselves.

Poverty is not a disease that needs to be cured. It is a state that can be corrected if proper efforts are put in (by the person in question himself). If they are going to be waiting for handouts… or expecting handouts, then they will remain poor.

Just to point out - Charity is rarely done to 'help' someone. It is usually done to make yourself feel better. That's it and there is absolutely nothing wrong with this either. But expecting this to cure poverty… that's just stupid.