The Querétaro Declaration Globalization and the Poor 1 Preamble The Micah Network is a coalition of evangelical churches and agencies from around the world committed to integral mission. Convened by this network, 185 leaders of Christian organisations involved with the poor from 50 countries met in Querétaro, México in September 2003 to reflect on the issue of Globalization and the Poor. During this consultation, we have entered a process of dialogue designed so that we may hear from the Word of God and reflect together on how it speaks to us in an increasingly globalized world in which the poor, while promised more, find themselves economically and socially marginalized and culturally impoverished. Over 1 billion people suffer the daily violence of absolute poverty. This violence shortens and degrades their lives. Children form the majority of this group and are particularly vulnerable. Some 30,000 die every day from hunger and preventable disease, an outrageous fact that receives much less media and political attention than terrorism. In response to this outrage, we acknowledge that we in the Church have done too little about addressing the plight of the poor. We have dedicated our time at this conference to discussing appropriate responses. What is Globalization? Globalization has come to mean different things in different contexts: In its first, and most basic, sense it refers to those sociological processes that disconnect human activities from their local settings and reconnect them across national borders. The growth of information and communication technologies lies behind these processes. Secondly, globalization refers to the emergence of a global civil society alongside the nation-state system, comprising transnational actors of many different kinds and with varying degrees of global influence. Thirdly, it refers to the global economic system, that is, the neo-liberal project of a single, global market in which all barriers to trade and capital flows are removed. This is a political ideology, actively promoted by what has come to be called the Washington Consensus and opposed by those who are misleadingly referred to in the global media as anti-globalization activists. Globalization, as understood in the first two senses, demonstrates the biblical truth that we are bound together as one human family in mutual dependencies. On the other hand, it heightens human fallenness and our propensity to idolatry and fragmentation. Globalization divides as much as it unites. The new technologies that lie at the heart of globalizing processes are not inherently exploitative. They offer unprecedented opportunities for resisting oppressive regimes, exposing injustice, dispelling ignorance and treating disease.
Globalization also has the potential to encourage genuine dialogue across cultures. No cultural, religious or ethnic group can shut itself off from others. However, given the huge inequalities of economic power between cultures and the control of the global media by a handful of giant corporations, the tendency is for the more powerful cultural images, icons and practices to dominate the less powerful in a largely one-way traffic. The Consultation has focused primarily on the third form of globalization because of its negative impact on the poor. The Global Economic System It is a common assumption that the integration of local economies into the global market system automatically leads to economic progress - that it benefits the industrialized as well as the developing countries, the consumers as well as the producers, by fostering healthy competition, spreading technological knowledge and raising productivity and living standards everywhere. Such integration involves the removal of barriers to the free flow of goods and capital, limiting the role of governments and thus reducing corruption, stagnation, and bureaucracy the evils that have hindered the growth of developing economies. This orthodox recipe for economic growth through the free market is promoted by the G8 nations, and enforced by international financial institutions such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Trade Organization. It is proposed as the solution to worldwide poverty - if faithfully applied, all poor countries will eventually become a part of the First World and their people experience the freedom and prosperity of a consumer society. There is plenty of evidence, however, to demonstrate that such assumptions cannot be taken for granted. As a matter of historical fact, not a single country has achieved Northern status via the economic path proposed above. Even today the rich countries consistently use tariff protection, and employ their political and military muscle to promote their businesses abroad. They heavily subsidise their agricultural products, thus depressing prices and destroying the livelihoods of farmers in poor nations. Unrestricted financial flows, far from encouraging economic growth, only de-stabilise societies. The present global system is built on false assumptions and immoral double standards. Instead of reducing poverty, it is the main contributor to the extension and deepening of this major scourge. Indeed, a major effect is the emergence of a transnational aristocracy of materially wealthy and politically powerful people over against increasing masses of poor people unable to satisfy their basic needs. The widening gap not only between rich and poor countries but also between the rich and the poor within countries, including those belonging to the North, clearly shows that the present economic system primarily benefits a rich minority but often traps the poor majority in their poverty. Market fundamentalism, which asserts the irrelevance of nation states and fosters economic imperialism, is a very serious threat not only to the survival of the poor, but also to open societies everywhere. 2
A Biblical Vision 3 The starting point for a Christian response is to acknowledge with utter seriousness that our life and mission is rooted in the Gospel the good news of the Lordship of Jesus Christ. As followers of Christ we must challenge that which lies at the heart of contemporary economic globalization, namely the idolatry of Mammon. Resistance to the pressures of the consumer society a society built on false assumptions and distorted values - is not optional. The problems that global capitalism poses are not merely, nor even primarily, economic or technical, but moral and spiritual. The struggle to which we are called cannot be faced with mere human strength, since our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against rulers, against authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Eph 6:12). We need to heed Paul s exhortation to be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power and to put on the full armor of God consisting of the belt of truth, the breastplate of justice, the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, and prayer in the Spirit (Eph 6:10-18). Human beings have been entrusted with stewardship of what belongs fundamentally to God. The earth is the LORD s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it (Ps.24:1; cf. Ps.89:11). Thus when ancient Israel was given the land of promise (a paradigm of the human inheritance of the earth), they were told The land [the basic means of production] shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine; with me you are but aliens and tenants (Lev. 25:23; also Exod. 19:5; Ezek. 46:18). The requirements of human survival take precedence over an individual s right to his property (e.g. Deut. 24:19-22). Neither governments nor multinational corporations are the owners of the earth s natural resources. God holds them responsible for the development of those resources for the sake of all human beings who share the planet; and for the exercise of that development in a manner that respects the integrity of his creation. The tyranny of economics and the encroachment of market thinking on every sphere of human life erodes our moral vocabularies, undermines human dignity and the legitimacy of the market itself. Here we are engaged in a moral and spiritual battle against idolatry. Tragically, however, Christians have often been shaped more by these economic and political ideologies than by the Gospel we claim to profess. We note, with sadness and shame, that Christian politicians and economists and corporate executives are often lacking in spiritual discernment and a biblical worldview, and thus become complicit in social, economic and political structures that perpetuate idolatry and injustice. We must not conform to the idols of this age but be truly transformed by the renewal of our minds through the Word and Spirit of God (Rom. 12:1-3). Seeking Alternatives We believe that it is necessary in our ministries to increase our advocacy work on behalf of the poor. This must involve denouncing the social costs of the globalization process in the local, national and global contexts. However, we cannot and must not stop there but rather provide viable alternatives. We commit ourselves to challenging this trend through grass-roots work and advocacy at all levels.
We make the following specific challenges to ourselves and the Church: 4 We must redirect the global economy and the processes of globalization towards the kingdom of God. The recovery of politics and political education is central to this task. We must educate Christians regarding the importance of strengthening democracy both within their nations and across nations. The lack of political will on the part of wealthy nations to reform global financial institutions and to reshape the global economy so that the benefits of globalization are more equitably distributed can only be countered by a transnational mobilization of grassroots movements from below. Christian theologians, pastors, economists, business people, journalists, artists and lawyers and other professionals need to come together with the poor to claim the rights of the marginalized and the vulnerable. We Christians and Churches around the world must change our patterns of consumption. We cannot ignore the links between our consumption and the social and environmental costs that they impose. Our stewardship extends to considerations of the manner in which the goods and services that we consume are produced we must assume responsibility for the costs of our lifestyles. We in the local service agencies must facilitate the development of useful local content if new information and communication technologies are to benefit the poor. New technologies can only be useful to the poor if they respond to their needs, fit their culture and provide the information that they require. (For example, what information in an easily accessible form, is actually available on the Internet to poor farmers?) We Christians, as a truly global community, should seek to provide the services of lawyers and economists free of charge to poor nations to secure fair terms of trade at World Trade Organization meetings. They should press for stronger social and environmental clauses, compensation for vulnerable communities severely affected by WTO decisions, and for effective mechanisms that will prevent bullying and evasion by the powerful nations. We reaffirm the urgent task to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves and enable the poor to speak for themselves. We commit ourselves as a Network to work together to campaign against the causes and expressions of poverty, injustice, violence, war and corruption at local, national and international levels. To that end we call on governments around the world: To fully deliver on promises to cancel the un-repayable debts of the world s poorest nations. To return money transferred by corrupt rulers to private accounts in offshore banks to the nations that they have robbed. To reform the international banking system so that the status of offshore tax havens be withdrawn. To require that corporations fully disclose payments to foreign governments in the contract tendering process. To support institutions which promote transparency and accountability, particularly the International Criminal Court that holds governments and armies accountable for genocide and other crimes against humanity. To fully fund those UN agencies that work transnationally to protect refugees and to promote human rights and the protection of the biosphere. Debt servicing, corruption and tax evasion are principal contributors to the outflow of resources from the South. Corruption in poor nations would not be possible without the tacit support, and
often active involvement, of rich corporations, banks and governments in the North. For every bribe taken, there is a bribe offered. The primary political challenge is to ensure that national and transnational actors - especially global financial institutions and business corporations which wield immense influence on a global stage - are transparent in their operations and held accountable to those whose lives they impact. International governance mechanisms are needed if global trade and capital flows are to serve norms of justice. 5 Invitation to the Churches We confess that Mammon has at times distorted our own lifestyles, both individually and in the churches to which many of us belong. We repent of this. In our lifestyles and consumer choices we must demonstrate concern for justice and responsible stewardship. We also acknowledge that even in our weakness we are called to the prophetic task of insisting that the world s leaders fulfil the mandate God has given them to care for the poor. In the words of the Psalmist, we should urge all governments to implement policies that give justice to the weak and maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute. This must be part of their core business, yet so rarely is, and we repeat the Psalmist s question with all the urgency we can muster, how long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? (Psalm 82:2). As a global Christian community we have both a historic opportunity and a biblical imperative to eradicate the great evil of absolute poverty in our day. The churches, often the most invisible but also the most effective transformation agents in local situations, still has no effective, unified global voice on the subject of poverty. At a time when governments are talking of listening to civil society in the South and appreciating faith-based initiatives, it is time to find our global voice and challenge the world s decision-makers by offering a biblically-informed alternative to the current discourse of globalization. By capturing the imagination and theology of Christians worldwide we could see God move in ways we cannot as yet envisage. The prophet Micah s vision of every man sitting under his own vine and under his fig tree (Mic. 4:4) suggests that whatever development we do has to have rootedness, drawing on knowledge and resources from within the life-system of a people. To be truly global is to be truly local. To be sustainable development efforts must have culture-fit. To be truly part of the life of the world, we are to immerse ourselves incarnationally in the life-stories of our own people. Global poverty reduction will not be achieved without a spiritual engine. Most of the significant social movements in history have had a strong spiritual foundation. Without that spiritual vision and motivation, without that moral authority, we will not break the hold of poverty on the world s poorest people. This is our task, this is our vocation. Hear the voice of the prophet Micah saying don t be tempted by military and economic might, but instead do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.