ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that philosophers have widely ignored the only thing that has worked to bring large numbers of people out of poverty—economic growth—and that this is an important mistake. Most philosophers instead focus on altruism and foreign aid, even though these don’t seem ever to have worked at scale. I begin by explaining the nature and importance of economic growth, and the way in which economic history should affect our thinking about international poverty. I go on to consider prominent work on global justice, and point out that such work rarely mentions economic growth, or engages any of the literature on the subject. However, I also acknowledge that things are not so straightforward: economic growth may seem to lack practical valence in light of how hard it has proven to reliably induce growth. I conclude with some lessons that growth and the invisible hand have to teach us about global justice all the same. In particular, focusing on growth can help us avoid offering counterproductive solutions to problems of dire poverty, and suggests changes in how we respond, both institutionally and individually.
