Film Lens
Poverty, Inc. is a 91-minute documentary that examines the complexities of poverty and the global charity system. Directed by Michael Matheson Miller, the film is based on over 200 interviews conducted in 20 countries. It critiques the paternalism in aid efforts, suggesting that many charitable institutions may inadvertently hinder progress by treating the poor as passive recipients rather than active participants in their own development.
The film questions the effectiveness of aid, particularly focusing on the consequences of U.S. rice subsidies to Haiti during the Clinton Administration in the 1990s. It features notable figures such as Herman Chinery-Hesse, Hernando de Soto, and Mohammad Yunus, and raises critical questions about who truly benefits from the poverty industry, emphasizing the need for entrepreneurial solutions to poverty.
Why Watch
- •Meet Herman Chinery-Hesse and Hernando de Soto.
- •Find out how U.S. policies impacted Haiti's economy.
- •See why some aid organizations may profit from poverty.
Did You Know
•The film includes over 200 interviews filmed in 20 countries.
•Poverty, Inc. was produced by the Acton Institute, a free market think tank.
•The film critiques U.S. rice subsidies to Haiti from the 1990s, admitted as a failure by Bill Clinton.
•It won multiple awards, including Best Documentary at the Bahamas International Film Festival.
Perfect For
Global charity criticsEntrepreneurship advocatesSocial justice activists