The United Nations is deservedly proud of having already met its goal of halving the share of people living in extreme poverty by the end of this year, compared with the level of 1990. In 1990, 36% of the world’s population lived in abject poverty. By 2010 this was down to 18%. Now the UN is expected to set its sights on a new target: the complete elimination of extreme poverty by 2030. The goal is a worthy one, but increasingly out of reach http://econ.st/1M94JVc

Poverty’s long farewell