ABSTRACT
Robert Francis Kennedy’s compassion for the millions of suffering and oppressed people around the globe was intimately connected with his personal belief in and commitment to the power of progressive social movements, democratic aspirations, and the advancement of civil and human rights. In this unique sense, Robert Kennedy blended his roles as both a tribune of the underclass and a global statesman. Aware of the dangers of social exclusion and alienation from the large society, Robert Kennedy launched community development projects dedicated to slum and ghetto redevelopment, as showcased in Bedford-Stuyvesant, New York. Looking abroad, the statesmanship of Robert Kennedy was clearly apparent in his travels. In South Africa, Robert Kennedy was a vibrant advocate for the end of racial apartheid. The efforts of John and Robert Kennedy represent a commitment to resist a set of economic beliefs that subordinates all social and development considerations to the demands of private capital and the world market.
