Buddhist Wisdom and the Search for a Fairer Economy

According to the World Bank’s update on global poverty in March 2026, 826 million people live in extreme poverty, surviving on less than $3 per day, down from 847 million in 2024. This simple data illustrates the significant disparity in resources, opportunities, knowledge, and frameworks that exists in the world. The world now has the economic capacity and resources to end this extreme poverty. It possesses sufficient resources, technology, knowledge, and infrastructure; however, it lacks the necessary willpower and a cohesive framework to address these gaps and ensure equitable, participatory, and meaningful prosperity for achieving global peace and harmony. The concept of disparity and unjust distribution suggests that addressing the global inequality crisis demands more than minor policy changes; it requires wisdom.