The End of Poverty?

An Exploration of World Poverty

Poverty is not an accident. It began with military conquest, slavery and colonization that resulted in the seizure of land, minerals and forced labor. Today, global poverty has reached new levels because of unfair debt, trade and tax policies -- in other words, wealthy countries exploiting the weaknesses of poor, developing countries. Narrated by Martin Sheen, THE END OF POVERTY asks why today 20% of the planet's population uses 80% of its resources and consumes 30% more than the planet can regenerate.

"A sort of "An Inconvenient Truth" for global economics...a powerful description of how Western policies since colonialism have subjugated Third World countries." - Charles Masters, The Hollywood Reporter

What's most profound, and also most controversial, in this analysis is the question of how much this pattern of exploitation continues today." - Andrew O'Hehir, Salon.com "

"A fascinating history lesson showing that the world's wealth disparity began with the Europeans' military conquest of other continents, enslavement of indigenous people and colonization that resulted in the seizure of land, minerals and other resources, and forced labor, and that it continues today due to the existence and enforcement of unfair debt, trade and tax policies." - Jennifer Merin, About.com