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This is mentioned in passing in TFA but the fundamental problem of EA, and all charity in general, is that it ignores and often even perpetuates the societal structures that create most of the problems that charity tries to patch up.

Of course if it would try to address the structural problems, it wouldn't be charity but politics. And politics are bad because it could change the structure.


I disagree with this - traditional philanthropy does ignore systematic/societal problems, for many reasons it is simply unable to.

EA tries to look at the bigger picture of effectiveness, and many within EA do believe that political solutions are a good use of resources. For example, many of the new charities created by Charity Entrepreneurship spend their time lobbying governments. Relative to traditional philanthropy, I think EA has a real shot at the systemic changes necessary to make real change.

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