Sharing the well: towards sustained eradication of extreme poverty in Bangladesh

This chapter uses two metaphors to explore the moral and practical dimensions of extreme poverty eradication. The first metaphor, ‘Leaving no-one behind’, currently dominates policy discussions and broadly sees the eradication of extreme poverty as the consequence of economic growth and prosperity. In contrast the chapter outlines an alternative approach, captured in the ‘sharing the well’ metaphor, which focuses much more on redistribution and rights. The chapter argues that although both approaches are laudable, their differences are important. Crucially, the ‘Sharing the well’ approach, although politically challenging, has roots in values shared by the people of Bangladesh. This arguments helps contextualize the different chapters of the book.