Advocacy of the Underprivileged: An Exegetical Study on Mich 6.1-8

ADVOCACY OF THE UNDERPRIVILEGED:

AN EXEGETICAL STUDY ON MICAH 6.1-8

A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF UNION BIBLICAL SEMINARY, PUNE, IN PARTIAL

FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF DIVINITY

DAVID MUTHUKUMAR .S UNION BIBLICAL SEMINARY

MARCH 2009

List of Abbreviations

B.C.E Before the Christian Era or Before the Common Era

BHS Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia

Chs. Chapters

EFICOR Evangelical Fellowship of India Commission on Relief

ff and the following verses

LXX Septuagint

MSS Manuscripts

MT Mesoretic Text

UNDP United Nations Development Programme

v., vv., verse, verses

Table of Contents

Introduction ......................................................................................................... 11

Statement of the Problem .................................................................................... 11

Elaboration of the Problem ................................................................................. 11

Purpose Statement ............................................................................................... 12

Scope and Limitation .......................................................................................... 12

Method of Research ........................................................................................... 13

Chapter 1 ............................................................................................................. 14

Critique of Capitalistic Market Economy ........................................................... 14

Introduction ......................................................................................................... 15

1.Evolution of Liberal Capitalism....................................................................... 16

1.Operating Principles ........................................................................................ 18

2.Forms of Capitalism ........................................................................................ 19

3.Economic Liberalization and Globalization .................................................... 19

2.Critique of Capitalistic Market Economy ........................................................ 20

1.Myth of "Invisible Hands" .............................................................................. 20 2.Free Markets and Basic Sustenance ................................................................ 21

3.Power Differential ........................................................................................... 23

3.An Overview of Poverty .................................................................................. 25

4.Response .......................................................................................................... 26

Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 28

Chapter 2 ............................................................................................................. 29

Exegetical Study on Micah 6.1-8 ........................................................................ 29

Introduction ......................................................................................................... 30

1.An Overview of the Book of Micah ................................................................ 31

2.Micah 6. 1 - 8 .................................................................................................. 32

1.Translation ...................................................................................................... 32

2.Form ............................................................................................................... 33

3.Historical Setting ............................................................................................ 34

i.Socio - Politico - Economical Context ............................................................ 34 3.Methodology .................................................................................................... 35

4.Comment .......................................................................................................... 36

Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 39

Chapter 3 ............................................................................................................. 41

Advocacy: Concepts and Praxis.......................................................................... 41

Introduction ......................................................................................................... 42

1.Social Justice Advocacy .................................................................................. 43

1.What is Advocacy ........................................................................................... 43

2.Definition ........................................................................................................ 44

3.Forms .............................................................................................................. 45

i.Ideological advocacy ........................................................................................ 45

ii.Mass Advocacy ............................................................................................... 45

iii.Interest-group advocacy ................................................................................. 46

iv.Bureaucratic advocacy ................................................................................... 46

v.People-centered advocacy ............................................................................... 46

4.Approaches to Advocacy ................................................................................ 46

1. Advocacy for those affected by a situation ..................................................... 47

2. Advocacy with those affected by a situation .................................................. 47

3. Advocacy by those affected by a situation .................................................... 47

2.Praxis................................................................................................................ 48

1.Parameters ....................................................................................................... 48

2.Advocacy Stages / Cycle ................................................................................. 51

3.Free Spaces and Advocacy .............................................................................. 55

4.Strategy development ...................................................................................... 55

5.Skill building ................................................................................................... 57

Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 59

Introduction

Walter Houston, in his book Contending for Justice says,

The world is being ever more profoundly shaped by the economic power of monopoly

capitalism , which reaches into the furtherest territories and the remotest villages of

the world with its mass production methods and its enticements to consume its

products. This influence has not only profound economical and ecological effects, ...

with inequality doubling and redoubling over the past few decades ... as the site of

their production moves into economies with lower and lower wages and global

warming and destruction of habitat begins the sixth great extinction of species in five

hundred million years.1

The phenomenon of globalization is unique to our generation in terms of its impact

on global human community. Globalization in unison with economic liberalization and

privatization has impacted all aspects of human sphere. As the reaches of this

globalization and economy is felt even in the remotest territories, the pain of

poverty and suffering - that seem to be the natural outcome of this phenomenon -

has overwhelmed billions of people living in the underdeveloped countries. This

situation demands a serious review.

Statement of the Problem

The stark social disparity in the contemporary world has resulted in the

enslavement of billions of poor under ruthless misery and vicious poverty, relegating

them to inhumane living conditions. Yet, on the contrary world-wide economic

growth has catapulted many into rich and super-rich categories. This irony has to be

addressed. The underprivileged people need to be emancipated. A solution has to be

contrived to ameliorate the sufferings of humanity.

1 Walter J Houston, in Contending for Justice: Ideologies and Theologies of Social Justice in Old Testament (New York: t&t Clark, 2008), 227-278฀

Elaboration of the Problem The twenty-first century is characterized by global market economy that has

unleashed varied opportunities for wealth generation. There are millions who are en-

cashing on these opportunities and rapidly climbing up the social mobility ladder. On

the other hand, there are billions of poor who are left with no option to participate in

this economic boom and are living in utter poverty and pain. In India, this new world

economic order coupled with the rapid change in demography has pushed millions

to abject poverty and desperation.

While we diligently study the scripture we can find semblances of such situations.

Also there are records of prophetic call to the community of God‟s people to pro- actively respond and labor towards the upliftment of such people. In the absence of

diligent study of the Scripture, we will not be able to respond to such specific

situations that demand us to look at it from God‟s perspective and act.

Purpose Statement

Micah, the prophet, challenges Israel community about God‟s requirement to do just, to love mercy and walk humbly before God. My purpose of writing this thesis

is to bring this challenge to the relevance of today‟s context. To establish it as a clarion call to recognize our responsibility to be advocates of people who languish

under injustice, oppression and hopelessness.

Scope and Limitation This study aims at diligently studying God‟s Word and forming a conviction based on the Word. This will enable us to serve the deprived humanity effectively

and with Christ-like empathy. As Christian and humanitarian agencies have ventured

to work among these groups in the context of prevailing social disparity, a strong

biblical perspective will make long-lasting impact and establish Christian witness.

The study will analyze the inherent feature of capitalistic market economy, creating

disparity between rich and underprivileged. Also the relevance of advocacy toward

emancipatory efforts will be considered.

Bible as an organic-whole emphasizes social justice and equity as God‟s requirement for any human society. Yet this study will be limited to the study of text

and context of the book of Micah chapter 6.1-8 only. Also this study is limited in not

attempting to understand all the concepts of global economy, poverty and

advocacy.

Method of Research

This study will be primarily based on the library research. Also relevant

insights and practical inputs will be gleaned from sources such as Micah Challenge,

Tear Fund and EFICOR who are directly involved in advocacy and will be

incorporated. In the first chapter, the current dominant economic system of liberal

capitalism is to be analyzed and an attempt will be made to arrive at a proper

response. In the second chapter, through exegetical study on the book of Micah:

chapter 6 verses 1-8, a biblical perspective on the aspects of social justice advocacy

and its relevance to the present context of liberal capitalism and economic disparity

are brought out. In the final chapter, based on the proposition made in the initial

chapters, the concepts and praxis of Advocacy will be discussed.

Chapter 1

Critique of Capitalistic Market Economy

Introduction

Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Indian premier declared on the eve of Indian

independence on August 14, 1947,

Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall

redeem our pledge. The achievement we celebrate today is but a step, an opening of

opportunity, to the great triumphs and achievements that await us ... the ending of

poverty and ignorance and disease and 'inequality of opportunity'.2

For Nehru, it was "Socialism", that was the solution to all the above problems. Under the Nehruvian socialism, the Five-Year plans were introduced to advance the

economic development. The enormous Public Sector Units (PSUs) and several state

controlled industries were created to provide employment and prosperity to the

nation. After few decades of socialistic experiments, early 90s saw India entering

into "Liberal Capitalistic" mode. As Robert Kuttner remarks,

Markets accomplish much superbly. They offer consumers broad choices; they

promote and reward innovation. They bring investors together and entrepreneurs.

Markets force producers to search for greater efficiency and ruthlessly purge the

economy of failures. Market systems are far better than command systems at

determining rough economic worth,3

the post-90 economic liberalization unleashed dynamic changes in the economic

environment in India. It facilitated the rise of millions of entrepreneurs and today

Indian names regularly top the Forbes‟ list of world‟s richest individuals. Thus India

2 ฀฀ The Amartya Sen and Jean Drez omnibus, (Oxford:Oxford University Press, 1999) citing "Jawaharlal Nehru's Speech at Constituent Assembly, New Delhi on 14 August 1947," 76-77

3 Van Til, in Less Than Two Dollars a Day: Christian View of World Poverty and Free Market (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2007)฀, II

attained certain growth under the socialistic pattern followed by a huge leap under

the liberal market economy.4

Yet, reports also show that around 40 per cent of the population lives below

the poverty line. The absolute number could be between 320 - 360 million.5 The UNDP's, Capability Poverty Measure (CPM) - which accounts factors such as birth

unattended by trained health professional, malnutrition of children under five and

female illiteracy rate - categorizes 229 million people in India as "income poor‟ but 554 million as "capability poor‟.6 More than 50% of Indian population still has no access to the basic human needs. The world scenario is no better. More than half of

the world's population live on less than $2 a day.7 It is reported in the media that 1

billion people go to bed hungry every night; A quarter of the world's people never

get a glass of clean water; Every minute one woman dies in child birth.8 Further,

UNDP, Human Development Report 2003, says, "The richest 5 per cent of the world's people receive 114 times the income of the poorest 5 per cent; and the

richest 1 percent receive as much as the poorest 57 per cent".9

This irony of growing wealth on one side and abounding miseries of poverty on the

other side demands careful inquiry and response. In this chapter, the author

analyzes the dominating economic system of liberal capitalism and its operative

principles followed by a critique of this system to identify its negative aspects. Finally

an attempt is made to formulate a constructive response to the stated problems.

4 Economists agree that Indian economy has grown impressively over the last 50 years. Production of food grains has trebled since 1950. Industrial production has gone up by 6.9

times between 1951 and 1985. The average per capita income grew at a rate of 1.3 to

1.5% per year. Since 90s, in the post-liberalization scenario India is boasting a 9% GDP

growth year after year.

5 Gabrielle Dietrich and Bas Wielenga, in Toward Understanding Indian Society (Tiruvalla: Christhava Sahitya Samiti, 2008)฀, 99 6 Ibid.฀ 7 Michael P. Hornsby-Smith, in Introduction to Catholic Social Thought (Cambridge: Cambridge university Press, 2006)฀, 37 8 Ibid.฀ 9 Hornsby-Smith; "UNDP Human Development Report 2003" (2003): 39

1. Evolution of Liberal Capitalism

In 1776, the Enlightenment philosopher Adam Smith published his classic book

Inquiry into Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations and inaugurated the free-

market economics. He said, "The rich are led by an invisible hand to make nearly the same distribution of the necessaries of life, which would have been made, had the

earth been divided into equal portions among all its inhabitants".10 Smith thought that the self-attainment of individuals could invariably lead to the prospering of the

nation. For him, "Consumption is the sole end and purpose of all production; and the interest of the producer ought to be attended to, only so far as it may be necessary

for promoting that of the consumer".11 The consumption driven characteristic of a market economy was predicted by Smith in accurate terms. He further concluded

that "Nature when she formed man for society, endowed him with an original desire to please and an aversion to offend his brethren". This over idealistic view of human selfishness and the supposed virtues of market economy redrew the landscape of

world history in the succeeding centuries.

In the post-Smith scenario, the "Neo-Classical economics" or the "mainstream economics" has achieved dominance. Smith's Classical labor theory (that measures the value of a product by the costs required to produce it) is replaced by the

"subjective utility" theory.12 Subjective utility theory states that the price of a product is derived from the value subjectively assigned to it by the consumer.13

Further, the Soviet communism that originated as a reaction to the capitalistic

hegemony died down with the Mikhail Gorbachev's perestroika experiment. Following

this, the neo-liberal capitalism has grown unchecked and the growth has been

10 Van Til, 31 citing Adam Smith, in Theory of Moral Sentiments, Glasgow Edition. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1976) ฀ 11 Van Til฀, 31-34 12 Ibid. 13 Ibid.฀

further aided by the modern technological advances. Since then, capitalism has been

ideologically successful in being accepted as the best way of organizing the society

with no other viable alternatives to challenge it.14 And within the capitalistic market,

there is also a shift from "land property" to "capital" to "knowledge property".15

1. Operating Principles

Liberal capitalism has three fundamental elements:

 Private ownership of property  Systematic and self-interested pursuit of profit and  Exchange of goods and services on the basis of market

prices.16

Private property stands at the foundation of a capitalist society.17 And political rights

are required to protect private property. Commutative justice - that guarantees the legitimacy and enforcement of property related agreements such as contracts - is

also to be maintained.18 These are the primary mechanism needed within the

capitalistic function of the market. But the reach of these fundamental rights to

everyone is a mirage. Further the price mechanism in the market economy is

directed by the value the consumers assign to a commodity and not the real value of

the product19. To participate in a free-market exchange system, one obviously must

have something to trade; these initial endowments that facilitate participation may

14 Hornsby-Smith, 19 15 Ibid.฀, 206 16 Ibid.฀, 25 17 Ibid.฀, 23 18 Ibid.฀, 26 19 Van Til฀, 21

include things such as basic education, marketable skills, access to transportation,

clean water etc.,20

Amartya Sen understands private ownership in the market economy in terms of

"Entitlement relations"21. He identifies the following:

 trade-based entitlement : one is entitled to own what one obtains by trading  production-based entitlement: one is entitled to own what one gets by arranging production using one's owned resources  own-labor entitlement: one is entitled to own one's own labor power  inheritance and transfer entitlement: one is entitled to own what is willingly given to one by another who legitimately owns it

But these 'entitlements' are not accessible to all, but to the privileged few within the

liberal economy.

2. Forms of Capitalism

The capitalistic system has evolved over the years. Within the Industrial capitalism

that began in the early 19th century, the capitalist invested money in the production

of a particular commodity and sold it with a profit.22 But in the recent phenomenon

of Finance capitalism, the money is invested in financial services, currency

exchanges, shares trading etc., Financial transactions are taking place all the time,

chasing profits in a speculative way, far removed from the economic activities of

people who try to make a livelihood, but definitely affecting their chances of

survival.23 Also there are two strands within the capitalistic pattern: The Laissez-faire

capitalistic pattern is followed in America that allows market to function

autonomously without any state control. The social market form of capitalism, that is

prevailing in Europe places greater emphasis on training and the role of trade unions

20 Ibid.฀, 35 21 Amartya Sen and Jean Drez Omnibus (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999)฀, 2 22 Gabrielle Dietrich and Bas Wielenga฀, 111 23 Ibid.฀

and welfare.24 The great economic slump during the late 2008 has exposed the

fallacies of Laissez-faire capitalism and has strengthened the case of social market

economy.

3. Economic Liberalization and Globalization

Joshua Karlinar says, in the The Corporate Planet

The Globalization we are witnessing in the 1990s is an acceleration of historical

dynamics hastened by the advent of increasingly sophisticated and rapid

communication and transportation technologies, the decline of the nation-state, the

absence or ineffectiveness of democratic systems of global governance and the rise of

neo-liberal economic ideology. Its primary beneficiaries are both the transnational

corporations and the privileged consumer class in the North and to a growing degree

in the industrializing nations of south25

Despite its global reach, globalization as a phenomenon has served exclusively the

interest of the multi-national companies. The people on the periphery are yet to find

a place within this system. Though Globalization focuses on economic factors such as

growing international mobility of goods, capital and technology, it has political and

cultural dimension too. And these factors too, demand a serious consideration. And

the process of globalization in turn is greatly accelerated by the liberalization of

financial flows, trade and foreign investment. Thus globalization and liberalization

are going hand in hand unleashing their concerted impact on the world as a whole

creating a virtual divide between the rich and the poor.

2. Critique of Capitalistic Market Economy

The reports of consistent growth of GDP of a nation, the surplus foreign-exchange

reserve and the increase in per capita income may signal a flourishing economy. But

24 Ibid.฀ 25 David Cohen, Rosa de la Vega, and Gabrielle Watson, in Advocacy for Social Justice: Global Action and Reflection Guide (Bloomsfield: Kumarian Press Inc., , 2001)฀ citing Joshua Karlinar in The Corporate Planet

the question to be asked is, "If so much wealth has been generated through the free market exchange, why do one billion people go to bed hungry everyday?"

1. Myth of "Invisible Hands" Smith's theory that heralded the advent of liberal capitalism was based on the belief

that people who pursued their rational interests via trading in the market place,

would without their intending to do so, automatically bring about useful social

outcomes.26 Within his context, the break from monarchical and feudal holds - that

was achievable through free market economy - was hailed as the greatest achievement of humanity. But it is very obvious that Smith's theory has left out

several factors that have failed his optimistic idealism. The endowments which are

required for anyone to participate in the market system are "givens" in economic theory. Those without initial endowments may not be able to satisfy their

preferences or even meet their basic needs. In the under-developed and developing

nations, majority lack endowments and suffer social exclusion.

Further in the neo-classical theory, the total cost involved in the production was not

the basis of the price mechanism but the products utility. It is not the increased

wealth of the nations but the satisfaction of an individual's preference that is the

goal of the mainstream economics.27 So contrary to Smith's belief, with the market

economy, society began with the individual's preference not as in the past where

wellbeing of the society was the focus. Also in a strict market driven economy, only

specifically market-related actions are rewarded monetarily and all other non-

monetary constructive actions go unrewarded.28 Smith's theory of 'invisible hand'

has turned out to be nothing but a myth. It caters to the greed of few, not to the

need of many.

26 Van Til฀, 15 27 Ibid.฀, 32 28 Ibid.฀, 35

2. Free Markets and Basic Sustenance

Kent Van Til cites the following reasons that even an expanding system of free-

exchange will not necessarily satisfy claims to basic sustenance:29

1. More free exchange need not result in more wellbeing

It was Smith's assumption that people will first meet their own basic needs

and after laying aside a year's worth of provisions will participate in increasingly

larger markets.30 However these assumptions have ceased to be true. Today it is

possible for an MNC to use the basic resources of a region or nation, leaving the

local people with little beside their own labor to offer in the market place. The

resources are controlled by the capital rich industrialists and not the common man.

2. The second reason Van Til cites is Free markets takes initial endowments as

givens

In the developed countries, typical endowment for most people include

ample food, education, basic health services, opportunities for productive work and

much more.31 On a contrary, in the developing and underdeveloped countries there

is inadequacy of food and water, no or meager health care facilities and no

opportunity for productive work. This excludes them out rightly.

3. The third one is Economic concept of value is not responsive to the claim to

basic sustenance

29 Ibid.฀, 51-56 30 Van Til citing Smith฀, 31-36 31 Van Til฀

Since the economic measure of value is money, it follows that the market will

respond to money rather than human need.32 So a moral response from the market

per se is not possible.

4. The fourth reason is The incomparability of needs and preferences

Neo-classical economic theory is incapable of calculating relationship

between one person's satisfaction and another's. Economists refer to this problem as

"interpersonal utility comparison".33 The market does not distinguish between the relative importance of an additional rupee of income for a poor woman and an

additional rupee of income for a millionaire.

Also David Cohen and others also observe that the market economy prioritizes

economic growth as most important and the economic interests of MNCs are given

free access to pursue what gives them economic advantage. Without any

consideration for their cultural, political and social distinctions, free trade is

prescribed as good for all nations. And several curbs on government spending are

imposed as welfare measures are discouraged as inefficiency and wastage.34

The market may seem to provide basic sustenance for "many‟ within the market place, but it does not provide for all. Behind the veil of 'visible prosperity'

within the liberal economy, there lies the dark reality of exclusion and misery of

majority. The much touted 'trickle-down effect' of economic growth is itself a trickle

which does not substantially reduce poverty.35 P. C. Joshi argues that the

"inequality-ridden social and economic structure and the anti-poor orientation of the new elites turn economic growth and technological progress into growing affluence

32 Ibid.฀ 33 Ibid.฀ 34 Cohen, Rosa de la Vega, and Gabrielle Watson฀, 33 35 Gabrielle Dietrich and Bas Wielenga฀, 115

for the few and perpetuation of poverty for the many.36 From being envisioned as

"Invisible hand' that guides human selfishness for the wellbeing of the society, liberal capitalism has become an unrestrained monster causing misery and utter

poverty as the lot of billions of people.

3. Power Differential

In the globalized free-market economy, differential power of decision-making

between rich and poor is of major concern. The ability of the rich to determine the

rules of the game, taxation, welfare policies by the institutional arrangements such

as International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank (WB), and World Trade

Organization (WTO) benefits their interest and invariably deprives the poor.37

Hornsby-Smith notes that the corporate capital has power to control every aspect of

social life and behavior from transport systems, to schools, health and welfare

systems.38 As within the liberal capitalist economies, the prices are controlled by the

market, he notes that the prices and the wages can be manipulated where there are

concentrations of economic power. In the words of Baumen "In a world of global dependencies with no corresponding global polity and few tools of social justice, the

rich of the world are free to pursue their own interests while paying no attention to

the rest".39 The criticism on liberal market is unequivocal that it is not the well-being of the society that is the main concern but that of the "fittest‟.

Joseph stiglitz40 says:

I have seen the dark side of globalization - how the liberalization of capital markets, by allowing speculative money to pour in and out at a moment's whim devastated East

36 Gabrielle Dietrich and Bas Wielenga citing Malcom Adiseshaiah, ed., "Poverty Amelioration Perspective," in Seventh Plan Perspective (New Delhi, 1985)฀, 125 37 Hornsby-Smith฀, 13 38 Ibid.฀, 17 39 Hornsby-Smith; Bauman, "Whatever Happened to Compassion?," in , ed. Bentley and Stedman Jones51-56

40 Hornsby-Smith citing Joseph Stiglitz, in Globalization and Its Discontents (London: Allen Lane, 2002), 212-242฀

Asia (countries). How so called structural adjustment loans to some of the poorest

countries in the world "restructured" those countries economies so as to eliminate jobs but did not provide the means of creating new ones, leading to widespread

unemployment and cuts in basic services.

Further he notes,

Trade liberalization accompanied by high interest rates is an almost certain recipe for

job destruction and unemployment creation - at the expense of the poor. Financial market liberalization unaccompanied by an appropriate regulatory structure is an

almost certain recipe for economic instability. Privatization unaccompanied by

competition policies and oversight to ensure that monopoly powers are not abused can

lead to higher, not lower prices for consumers.

Stiglitz who has witnessed the progress of globalization and capitalism from the

front-line as World Bank economist argues forcibly against non-critical acceptance of

globalized economy.

3. An Overview of Poverty

The direct result of the free-market economy is the spread of massive

poverty around the globe, especially concentrated in the underdeveloped countries.

So it is essential to understand poverty both in economic and non-economic terms.

Sen states, "Poverty is a matter of deprivation".41 Sen's definition of poverty focuses on Capabilities and Functions. "The capability is the ability to do valuable acts or reach valuable states of being. The functioning may include basic physical things

such as being nourished and sheltered, breathing clean air and so on. They may also

include abstract notions such as possessing self-respect and dignity, participating in

the life of the community and being able to appear in the public without fear. And

capability is needed to achieve a particular functioning."42 He argues, "Poverty means that not only a person has low income but that a person has a low capacity to

function. A low income could be but one among many reasons for this incapacity."

41 Van Til citing Amartya Sen, in Capability and Wellbeing, 41฀ 42 Ibid., 44

The capabilities are either enhanced or restricted by the society. And within the

liberal economy such capabilities are available in abundance to privileged few but

eludes majority.

Poverty also means social exclusion. Social exclusion is a multi-dimensional concept

that denies people in various ways from full participation in the society and full

effective rights of citizenship in the civil, political and social spheres. Racism, sexism,

class consciousness etc.43 Hornsby-Smith identifies four types of exclusion that

induces poverty:

i. Exclusion from adequate income or resources

ii. Labor market exclusion from paid employment

iii. Service exclusion from education, health and welfare

iv. Exclusion from social relationship

Van Til remarks, "The persistence of widespread hunger is one of the most appalling features of the modern world and the fact that many people continue to die each

year from famines and that many millions more go perishing from persistent

deprivation on a regular basis is a calamity the world has somewhat incredibly got

coolly accustomed"44 Poverty is not constrained only to the economic dimension. Yet within a society that is controlled by the dynamics of market, majority suffers social

exclusion and material deprivation.

43 Hornsby-Smith฀, 208 44 Van Til, 275

4. Response

It is no doubt that the market system has generated enormous wealth world-wide.

Yet as observed earlier, this enormous wealth eludes many and serves few. Van Til

also recognizes the following facts:

1. The "rational choice" theory of mainstream economics is not sufficient to explain all of human behavior

2. There is an important and legitimate role for free exchange and

entrepreneurial development

3. A just distribution of material goods will require that we prioritize the

basic human need for sustenance

4. Society and society's wellbeing is not merely an aggregate of each

individual's satisfactions; but they all form part of an organic whole.45

There is no auto-mechanism within the market system that will ensure the

distribution of wealth. Adair Turner observes, "the fundamental issue is how to reconcile a dynamic economy and the liberating effects of individual economic

freedom with the objective of an inclusive society, recognizing that totally free

markets will not achieve the end".46 Further he notes, "the market economy... if utilized rather than worshiped, is the best mechanism for pursuing both economic

dynamism and desirable social goals; Capitalism is to be managed and moderated to

make it humane and environmentally responsible".47 Sufficient attention is to be paid to facilitate the inclusion of the excluded masses in the market participation

that will eventually provide social, cultural inclusion for them.

45 Van Til฀, 151 46 Ibid.฀ 47 Hornsby-Smith฀, 253

Hornsby advises that our response need not be a pessimistic despair but could be

pragmatic search for workable policies.48 Realizing that the free market economy is

capable of producing material wealth essential for meeting the needs of humanity we

need to find or create channels through which this wealth can flow to the needy and

deprived. Amartya Sen notes, "A person's ability to achieve various valuable functioning may be greatly enhanced by public action and policy..."49 He proposes that the current economic system be arranged in such a way that "all‟ are capable of functioning within their particular society. According to Sen, the "public action‟ on behalf of the voiceless can be both 'collaborative' (through civic cooperation) and

'adversarial' (through social criticism and political opposition)50 Public actions have to

be carried out in the form of social justice advocacy where the status quo is

challenged and new structures are created. The vitality of such advocacy can not be

underestimated as it alone could be the backbone of a just society.

On these lines, Will Hutton talks about creating a "welfare state" through public

action to achieve society‟s wellbeing ̶ through the just distribution of material goods.

He says,

At the heart of the welfare state lies a conception of the just society. it is a symbol of

our capacity to act together morally, to share and to recognize the mutuality of rights

and obligations. It is an expression of social citizenship. It provides boundaries to the

operation of markets, underwrites social cohesion and helps produce the values that

sustain the co-operation without which successful economies cannot flourish.51

Unless these social institutions are established, the people on the periphery cannot

be partakers of the market benefits; until then social justice will be just a dream.

48 Ibid.฀ 49 Van Til citing Sen, 44 50 The Amartya Sen and Jean Drez Omnibus (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999)฀, 9฀9 51 Van Til citing Will Hutton, in The State We're In (London: Little Brown, 1996)฀, 306- 307

Conclusion

From the above analysis, it is obvious that the liberal market economy has the

potential to produce sufficient wealth for the whole of community to lead an

emancipated life. But the concentration of wealth and power in the hands of few is

an inherent dark feature of this system and this has to be challenged through public

action in challenging policies and by advocating on behalf of the underprivileged. As

Van Til suggested, the reduction of social and economic inequalities involves the

expansion of social security provisions - broadly understood as "social arrangements‟ to protect all members of society from extreme deprivation and insecurity. These

"social arrangements‟ can be possible only by the proactive participation of committed individuals to challenge the oppressive policies. And by influencing

government policy, the positive functions of the government can be promoted to

include the provision of basic public services such as health care, child immunization,

primary education, social security, environmental protection and so on. The above

observations invariably lead to the necessity of advocacy to counter the onslaught of

oppression and poverty within the capitalistic market system.

Chapter 2

Exegetical Study on Micah 6.1-8

Introduction

In the previous chapter, it was observed that despite the enormous wealth

generated by the global market economy, the world is facing the stark reality of

massive deprivation and global poverty. Also it was stated that public action in the

form of advocacy is needed to create social arrangements within which everyone‟s basic sustenance will be provided for. This advocacy on behalf of the underprivileged

needs committed individuals. But there is a dearth of empathy and action among

professing Christians on behalf of the underprivileged. When billions of lives are

subjected to inhuman sufferings all around, the sensualities of the privileged are

gratified by the urbanite malls, pubs and pleasure houses that offer unlimited

options. The fulfillment of religious notions of the fortunate is often conveniently

divorced off any responsibility toward poor. While multi-million dollar churches are

mushrooming all around, the concerns of the invisible sections are discarded. Amidst

false notions of religious and relativistic tendencies, a careful study from a biblical

account on social justice and advocacy will provide the much needed mooring that

will strengthen the conviction and commitment for a "just society‟.

The book of Micah addresses this issue of social justice, that was neglected in the

eighth century Israel and Judah. So by attempting an exegetical study on the

passage from Micah, chap. 6, vv. 1-8, the author is establishing a biblical

perspective on the issue of social advocacy. Micah challenges his eighth century

audience to know God's requirements - to practice justice, to love mercy and to walk humbly with God. The author is trying to understand these requirements as

being vital aspects of social advocacy. In this chapter a brief overview of the book of

Micah is followed by an exegetical study to bring out the relevance of the passage

to the concept of advocacy.

1. An Overview of the Book of Micah The book of Micah is sixth in the "Book of Twelve".52 The name "Micah" is the abbreviation for the Hebrew name "Micahiah" which means "Who is like Yahweh?". For Micah, Yahweh is incomparable53 and this concept is intertwined throughout the

entire book. The appellation "Moreshtite" identifies Micah's home with Moresheth- Gath, a rural locality bordering the Philistine territory.54

Being a man of countryside and a man of "plain living and high thinking", Micah was not misled by false standards of value to place too high an estimate upon those things

that perish with use; He had Amos passion for justice and Hosea's heart of love.;

Knowing his fellow countrymen intimately and sympathizing profoundly with their

sufferings and wrongs, his spirit burned with indignation as he beheld the injustice and

tyranny of their rich oppressors.55

This is rather an exact snapshot of Micah's personality that brings out his character

as an advocate of the oppressed. Regarding the authorship of the book as a whole ,

there is disagreement among scholars; but scholars like E B Pusey, R F Horton, A

van Hoonacker accept whole of Micah as authentically belonging to eighth century

Micah.56 And regarding the date of composition also, there is no scholarly

consensus. Yet, Anderson and Freedman concede that substantial content of the

book might have been written while the memory of what Micah said was still alive,

52 But in the LXX, Micah is placed third in order among the "Minor Prophets". LXX is more chronological as it places Micah immediately after Amos and Hosea - Micah's contemporaries. 53 Ibid.฀ 54 Moresheth is identified with the modern village of Tell-el-Judeideh, about twenty-five miles south-west of Jerusalem. (John Merlin Smith, Hayes Ward, and Julius A Bewer, in International Critical Commentary: Micah, vol. 28 (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1965)฀ , 17) 55 Ibid., 18 56 Ewald was the first one to raise serious questions about authorship of Micah. According to Ewald, Micah 6 and 7 are written by another prophet who lived during the dark reign of Manasseh. Wellhausen also agreed with Ewald that Micah 6.1-7.6 came from the time of Manasseh and Micah 7.7-20 was added during exile. Stade, building on the work of Ewald and Wellhausen argues that only material in Micah 1-3 could be from the eighth century prophet. Also he agrees with Ewald that, Micah 6.1-7.6 reflects the time of Manasseh rather than the time of Micah. Stade arrives at his conclusion by the change in style and tone which he perceives to be an indication of change in historical circumstances. (Shaw฀, 17)

somewhere in the early seventh century B.C.E.57 L.C. Allen argues that all of Micah

was written by the prophet except for the three passages 4.1-4 (pre-Mican), 4.6-8

(exilic ) and 7.8-20 (post-exilic).58 Based on these arguments, it is possible to

locate the passage of Micah 6.1-8 within the late eighth century B.C.E. On the theme of this

passage, Ralph Smith comments as follows:

Yahweh is a covenant God. This is seen from the use of image of lawsuit in Chapter 6.

God is a Sovereign God and exercises grace and forgiveness. God, being faithful to the

covenant keeps his promises. And what does God expects from human beings. Is it

elaborate sacrificial rituals? No, but God is interested in the responsible acts of man by

being just, true and faithful and his relationship with God being one of humility.59

Micah argues against the misconception of God in the minds of God's people and

establishes justice, mercy and humility as human obligations toward God and

society.

2. Micah 6. 1 - 8 1. Translation

1. Now60, Listen to what Yahweh says. Stand up; Present your case before61 the

mountains and let the hills hear your voice62.

2. Listen, Oh Mountains, Yahweh‟s case. And Give Ear63 oh foundation of Earth, for Yahweh has a dispute with his people and with Israel, he will contend.

57 Francis Anderson and David Noel Freedman, in Micah: New Translation with Introduction and Commentary, vol. 24 (Doubleday: Anchor Bible, 2000)฀ , 21 58 Smith฀ , 4 59 Smith฀ , 9 60 The modifier an in an-W[mv is translated as "now", to indicate the urgency of the message. 61 The preposition tae is translated as "before" to read ~yrhh-ta as "before the mountains". 62 The imperfect verb hn[mvtw is translated in the jussive sense to read "let the hills hear" and not in the usual waw-conjunctive imperfect dependent on the preceding verb.

3. My people, what have I done to you? How have I wearied you? Testify against

me.

4. For I brought you up from the land of Egypt and from the house of slavery I

redeemed you. And I sent before you Moses, Aaron and Miriam.

5. Oh my people, now remember what Balak, king of Moab counseled and what

Balaam, son of Beor answered him and (what happened) from Shittim to Gilgal; So

that you may know the righteous deeds of Yahweh.

6. With what shall I come before Yahweh (and) bow down before God Most High?

Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?

7. Will Yahweh be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten-thousands rivers64 of

oil? Shall I give my first-born for my transgressions, the fruit of my body for the sin

of my soul?

8. He has declared to you Oh man, what is good and what Yahweh require of you,

but to do justice and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

2. Form

Ben Zvi observes that the unit is constructed in such a way as to evoke the image

and associations of a law suit. 65 Ben Zvi cites Westermann, who comments, "the

cumulative effect of the reference to byr, the expression 'testify against me' and

appeal to natural elements evoke in the intended reader's mind the settings of a

63 BHS suggests reading ~yntahw as wnyzahw to mean "Give ear". As ~yntahw meaning "everlasting" with the succeeding noun "foundations" is inconsistent with the Hebrew understanding of the creaturely aspect of natural world, the suggestion is incorporated in the translation. 64 lxn translated as "rivers" can also mean "torrents" 65 Ehud Ben Zvi, in Micah: Forms of Old Testament Literature (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2000)฀ , 149

dispute"66. The passage portrays Yahweh as the one who condescends to dispute

with the violators ̶ when the obligations of justice and mercy are forgotten. This is

very much in tune with the advocatory aspect of this passage.

3. Historical Setting

Considering the thematic emphasis on social justice and covenantal relationship, as

Amos and Hosea ̶ Micah's earlier contemporaries ̶ were proclaiming, it is more likely

that the oracular message evolved within Micah's ministry, in the context of eighth

century Israel and Judah.

i. Socio - Politico - Economical Context Micah 6.1-8 in general addresses a situation denoting the breakdown of the

society with the neglect of basic obligations of justice, kindness and obedience. With

the onset of Monarchy the traditional tribal loyalty with its distributive economy and

societal checks and balances to protect the less fortunate was replaced by a trade

and commerce based economy. The merchants induced by their greed used false

balances and land grabbing and created a divide between the privileged minority and

oppressed majority. Premnath observes that within the tribal subsistence economy,

the available goods and services were distributed mainly on the basis of need; But in

advanced societies, power is the determining factor and power determines

privileges.67 He also observes the process of latifundialization.68 This phenomenon

refers to the process of massive land accumulation in the hands of few wealthy elite

to the deprivation of the poor. Thus the society was characterized by growing

disparity between the possessed and dispossessed classes. This situation is not

much different from what we see in the contemporary world. As the trade based

66 Ben Zvi฀ , 149 citing Westermann, in Basic Forms, 199฀ 67 D. N. Premnath, in Eighth Century Prophets: Social Analysis (Missouri: Chalice Press, 2003), 19฀ 68 Latifundialization is derived from the term latifundia meaning large estates. ( Ibid., 18)฀

economy catered to the greed of few, market capitalism also serves the interest of

the few while relegating many to poverty and deprivation. And Micah addressed the

earlier context by advocating for justice and mercy and set a pattern for us to follow.

Eighth century B.C.E also was a period of tremendous political power and

economic growth unlike any other period in Israel's history. Israel and Judah

enjoyed political stability and strength as a result of the powerful reigns of

Jeroboam II in the north and Uzziah in the South. Premanth notes that the

beneficiaries of this economic growth were the ruling elite who dominated the state

bureaucracy.69 The vast amount of economic surplus extracted by taxation and other

means went to support the leisured and luxurious living of the ruling class and

provide means for extending and maintaining political control. The extravagant

temple sacrifices were possible by diverting the collections to the maintenance of the

temple and rituals. The cumulative effect of these was the deterioration of the

peasantry who constituted the majority of the population. This situation is very much

identical with our present context, where the surplus economic wealth ends up in the

coffers of the rich and powerful to satiate their insatiable lust while the poor and the

needy are deprived even of their basic necessities.

3. Methodology

This study on the passage Micah 6.1-8 follows Charles Shaw's rhetorical-

historical analysis. Shaw explains the individual units through speech analysis and

reader-response criticism. Then he arrives at the larger whole that utilizes various

components, styles and forms for effective function. This is in line with the classical

rhetoric that recognizes that a persuasive speech employs various types of proofs

(pathos, logos, ethos), styles (metaphor, hyperbole, figures) and topics (common,

69 Ibid.฀

material, strategical). Shaw argues, Demosthenes' description of role of political

orator applies to that of Hebrew prophets:

But for what is he [the orator] responsible? To discern events in their beginnings, to

foresee what is coming, and to forewarn others. These things I have done. Again it is

his duty to reduce to the smallest possible compass, wherever he finds them, the

slowness, the hesitation, the ignorance, the contentiousness, which are the errors

inseparably connected with the constitution of all city-states; while on the other hand,

he must stimulate men to unity, friendship and eagerness to perform their duty.70

According to Shaw, "Prophetic discourses are aimed at persuading others to alter or remove potential or actual exigencies and thus avert or minimize the catastrophic

consequences foreseen as a result of current trend of events." As Shaw argues, the prophet uses rhetoric as a persuasive tool to impress upon the reader, of their

covenantal obligations. He is in effect, advocating on behalf of the oppressed

sections.

4. Comment As observed through Shaw's rhetorical study, the prophet himself plays the role of

an advocate as he uses rhetoric persuasion. Firstly, to expose the failure of his

audience to keep Yahweh's requirements of justice and mercy. And secondly,

Yahweh as condescending to defend the oppressed against their oppressors. So, the

aspect of advocacy is weaved into every layer of this prophecy as it is the unifying

factor on the whole; and also being expounded in the parts. The verb [mv "listen" in

verse 1 with the modifier an (translated as "now") denotes the urgency of the

message. The call to wakeup from the slumber of insensitivity and to heed unto

Yahweh's requirement is an urgency. Further the prophet uses the image of byr

70 Charles S Shaw, in Speeches of Micah: Rhetorical-Historical Analysis (Sheffield: JSOT Press, 1993)฀ , 20฀

"dispute", to emphasize the seriousness of the message. "Yahweh has a dispute with his people and he will contend with them". The reason for the dispute is brought out in the following passages through the use of rhetorical questions. The first four

rhetorical questions establish the position of Yahweh as the Liberator - the Exodus event signifies his liberative acts on behalf of Israel, the oppressed - and the latter four questions expose the misconception and failure of liberated people to live by

Yahweh's standards. Israel, the liberated one has forgotten the covenantal

obligations that Yahweh has established with her; she has failed to establish a just

society where the rights of the poor and the widow will be defended. This is the

reason for the dispute and Yahweh will contend with Israel for her failure to protect

the poor and the oppressed. Yahweh is not interested in the elaborate sacrificial

rituals; and also he does not demand the sacrifice of the first-born son, as the

Israelite representative intended to do in v.7. Rather what Yahweh requires is - Micah uses the three infinitival constructions: to do justice, to love mercy and to

walk humbly with your God - as the summum bonum which Israel is required to seek. The requirement to do justice, to love mercy and to walk humbly with God is

in essence, the three facets of the concept of advocacy which Micah expounds.

Justice is to render to each one what is his or her due. To 'practice justice' is to

uphold the right of others in the everyday conduct of life. Deuteronomy 10.18

portrays Yahweh as the one who "executes justice for the fatherless and the widows". Yahweh is the source and also the executor of justice. He executes justice by defending the rights of the defenseless. But interestingly in the Old Testament,

jPvm twf[ "to do justice" is more often the predicate of persons than of God.71

This is to communicate the obligation on the part of created humanity to be agents

of God‟s justice. The humanity needs to understand that the requirement of a righteous God is not extravagant sacrifices but "to support persons who have no

71 Walter Wolff฀ , 181

other legal counsel, or to reconcile those who otherwise become alienated, or to heal

broken communities".72 Micah establishes justice as the first facet of advocacy. A just society is what advocacy aims to build.

The other requirement which Micah mentions is to "love mercy". dsx is normally

translated as "kindness; loving kindness; steadfast love". In Hebrew, though "do

dsx" is the set idiom, the phrase "love dsx" emphasizes the passion in "doing

mercy". dsx is the reciprocal conduct of men toward one another and implicitly

toward God".73 And in essence dsx requires actions other than the human instinct

for self-survival. It calls for a commitment to create a sense of community by the

kindhearted actions, stimulated by spontaneous love and the faithful meeting of

responsibilities.74. Our conduct is expected to reflect and express the character and

characteristic behavior of God himself in deeds of mercy.75 This spontaneous

expression of mercy toward the "undeserving" should extend the warmth and love of our passionate action to those on the periphery of the society. These invisible

segments of people in the society need to be the recipients of our "generous and beneficial action that is not demanded of us".76 This is the second facet of advocacy. Advocacy seeks to establish a "just society‟ characterized by "deeds of mercy‟.

The third requirement that caps the previous two requirements is "to walk in

humility with our God". The traditional meaning of the word [nc is "humbly". As

Anderson interprets, it means "to live in communion with Him". Our walk with God

72 Ibid.฀ , 180 73 Anderson and David Noel Freedman citing N. Glueck, in Hesed in the Bible (Cincinnati: Hebrew union College, 1967)฀ , 63 74 Walter Wolff฀ , 59 75 Anderson and David Noel Freedman฀ , 529 76 Shaw, 176 citing Anderson, "Yahweh, the Kind and Sensitive God," in God Who is Rich in Mercy, ed. P.T. O'Brien and D.G Peterson (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1986)฀ , 44

defines our practice of advocacy in establishing the rights of the people on the

periphery. God is the source of justice and mercy and our dependent walk with him

empowers us to fulfill his requirements toward others. It is not just a pietistic notion

but a determined walk in obedience to God's will. It is a discerning life that

understands and exhibits God‟s virtues in voicing the concerns of the voiceless and defending the rights of the defenseless. According to Micah, this is the third facet of

advocacy which makes the possibility of the first two aspects to be in operation. By

embodying these three facets of advocacy, God's people will live by what God

requires from them. This alone will bring a dynamic transformation in the society

plagued by abject poverty, bloodshed and callous attitudes, by establishing justice

through deeds of mercy by walking in perfect communion with God.

Conclusion

In this chapter, a biblical perspective on the concept of advocacy is arrived at

through the exegetical passage on Micah 6.1-8. The prophet himself advocates for

the oppressed by using rhetoric as the tool of persuasion to challenge the callosity of

his audience. Further, he portrays Yahweh as the one who advocates on behalf of his

people - first by delivering Israel from the Egyptian oppression in the event of Exodus and now as the one who condescends to dispute with Israel for her failure to

establish a just society. This overarching theme of advocacy entwines this passage

in perfect cohesion and brings out the all important aspect of advocacy as Yahweh's

"the requirement" from his people. Micah brings the three facets of advocacy - to do justice, to love mercy and to walk humbly before God. By summing up the essence

of social justice advocacy in three short phrases, Micah places a profound

responsibility on the human shoulders. He emphasizes duty toward human beings

and duty toward God as coequal factors. This challenge from Micah was addressed to

the society ridden with injustice, oppression and poverty. So also, Micah's challenge

remains relevant in today's context for the world community troubled by social

disparity, inequality and suffering. The misplaced priorities of a pseudo-religion may

excite the mortal humans, but the eternal God requires a repentant heart that raises

its voice on behalf of the voiceless and walks the extra mile to bring a smile on the

face of the dispossessed. This alone can build a community where the ideals of

"liberty, equality and fraternity" are possible and where peace and harmony resides. Advocacy as God's requirement will seek to build a society characterized by justice

through deed of mercy, which is possible by a humble walk before God. Thus Micah

provides the much needed biblical perspective for advocacy, which we established as

a concrete solution to the problem of growing social disparity and poverty in the first

chapter.

Chapter 3

Advocacy: Concepts and Praxis

Introduction

In the light of the observations made in the first chapter, advocacy is

established as the concrete answer to the world problem of poverty and oppression.

This was reinstated through the exegetical study on Micah 6.1-8 in the second

chapter. Here Micah sets up the three fundamental facets of advocacy - justice, mercy and humility. This biblical pattern provides the much needed challenge to the

community of God's people often carried away by the callosity of the contemporary

world-view. Abraham Kuyper, the Dutch theologian and statesman said,

It is a serious error to say that Christianity has, or should have, no implications for the

organization of the common life or that it pertains only to spiritual yearnings seated in

the heart or expressed in the privacy of the prayer groups; or that society is best

ordered by a secular, pragmatic politics that avoids religion wherever possible. On the

contrary, the wellbeing of the soul, the character of local communities, the fabric of

the society at large and the fate of civilization are intimately related and cannot be

separated from theological and moral issues.77

By having right moral values strengthened by the proper theological reflection,

individuals can make a transformative impact in the world. As Micah established, the

right perspective is to practice advocacy; and this is God's primary requirement from

his people. Having establish advocacy as the answer to the malady of oppression

and poverty, it is vital to understand the modern concepts and praxis principles of

advocacy. In the words of Amartya Sen, the Nobel laureate,

The nature of government policy can depend very extensively on the nature of public

activism, including articulated demands and criticism. Public action can play a central

role in economic development and in bringing social opportunities within the reach of

the people as a whole. By influencing government policy, the positive functions of the

government can be promoted to include the provision of basic public services such as

77 Kent A. Van Til, in Less Than Two Dollars a Day: Christian View of World Poverty and Free Market (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2007) citing "Abraham kuyper: His World and Work," in Abraham Kuyper: Centennial Reader (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998), 1-16฀

health care, child immunization, primary education, social security, environmental

protection and so on. 78

Advocacy requires an understanding of policy implications and avenues to include

the voices from the periphery. In this chapter, the author discusses the basic

theoretical concepts of advocacy and certain principles of its praxis that will assist in

effective advocacy.79

1. Social Justice Advocacy

1. What is Advocacy

Oxfam Advocacy Guide defines, "advocacy is about influencing those in power to act in more equitable ways; It involves different activities like lobbying, mobilization,

education, research and networking".80 Advocacy should be aimed at alleviating poverty and suffering, fight oppression, challenge injustice or support long-term

sustainable development.81 Through advocacy, the advocates pursue social change,

particularly with and on behalf of vulnerable and oppressed individuals and groups of

people.82 The social changes can be effected by promoting sensitivity to and

knowledge about oppression and cultural and ethnic diversity and other factors.83

Advocacy involves identifying the oppressive systems, structures and policies and

act so as to eliminate or moderate such oppressions. In general, as Graham Gordon

observes, advocacy:

 takes root causes of poverty and injustice and brings long-term change

78 Van Til; Sen฀ , 89 79 To give a detailed note on Advocacy is beyond the scope of this short thesis. Oxfam Advocacy Guide authored by David Cohen and others is an excellent resource for advocacy and practice. The book deals comprehensively the theoretical and practical aspects of advocacy through elaborations and case studies. This chapter will attempt to condense the basic aspect of advocacy and certain praxis principles. Tear Fund Advocacy Tool Kit another excellent resource that guides the reader through elaborate notes on advocacy praxis. 80 David Cohen, Rosa de la Vega, and Gabrielle Watson, in Advocacy for Social Justice: Global Action and Reflection Guide (Bloomsfield: Kumarian Press Inc., , 2001), 7฀ 81 Graham Gordon, "Understanding Advocacy" (Tear Fund, 2002) in ฀ ฀ ฀ 82 Richard Hoeffer, in Advocacy Practice: for Social Justice (Illinois: Lyceum Books, 2006)฀ , 10 83 Ibid.฀

 sees people as agents of change in their own communities  help to generate more resources for other development work  change power structures and systems of injustice84

Oxfam Advocacy Guide states that advocacy is primarily to influence political,

economic and social outcome that directly affect people's lives. Changes in the

decision-making processes are effected by which openings are created for those

affected by decisions to be involved in decision-making.85

Advocacy is aimed at effecting changes that will transform lives.

2. Definition

David Cohen and others define Social justice advocacy as:

Advocacy is the pursuit of influencing outcomes - including public policy and resource- allocation decisions within political, economic and social systems and institutions - that directly affect people's lives.86

As the political decisions impact millions of lives who have no part in the decision

making, social justice advocacy should seek for ways to influence the outcomes so

as to reduce the negative imbalances and to cater to the needs of all and not just

few.

Advocacy consists of organized efforts and actions based on the reality of "what is". These organized actions seek to highlight critical issues that have been ignored and

submerged to influence public attitudes and to enact and implement laws and pubic

policies so that the visions of "what should be" in a just, descent society become a reality. Human rights - political, economic and social - is an overarching framework for these visions. Advocacy organizations draw their strength from and are

accountable to people - their members, constituents and/or members of affected groups. Advocacy has purposeful results: to enable social justice advocates to gain

84 Graham Gordon, "Understanding Advocacy" ฀ ฀ 85 David Cohen, Rosa de la Vega, and Gabrielle Watson, in Advocacy for Social Justice: Global Action and Reflection Guide (Bloomsfield: Kumarian Press Inc., , 2001)฀ , 7฀ 86 Ibid.

access and voice in the decision making of relevant institutions; to change the power

relationships between these institutions and the people affected by their decisions,

thereby changing the institutions themselves; and to result in a clear improvement in

people's lives.87

The challenge is to perceive "what is" the reality and to act so that the society moves toward "what should be". Identifying with the affected ones and empowering them are part of this process. Encyclopedia of Social Works states that advocacy is

"the act of directly representing, defending, intervening, supporting or recommending a course of action on behalf of one or more individuals, groups or

communities with the goal of securing or retaining social justice.88 It is both

representing and emancipating act.

3. Forms

Cohen and others identify the following forms of advocacy:89

i. Ideological advocacy

This form of advocacy is based on ideological preferences as several groups attempt

to make their set of beliefs and values dominant. Through protests, street

demonstrations, by influencing decision-making bodies and in electoral campaigns,

they try to bring the ideological change.

ii. Mass Advocacy

Large groups of people express their opinion against government and authorities

through public actions in the form of petitions, protest, demonstrations confrontation

tools.

87 Ibid.฀ 88 Hoeffer฀ , 8 89 Ibid.฀

iii. Interest-group advocacy

Groups formed around a specific set of concerns and issues demand the change in

the system, through lobbying or other persuasion efforts.

iv. Bureaucratic advocacy

The intelligentsia - researchers, economists and consultants from think-tanks and

universities - influence and confront bureaucrats and decision-makers within the

system.

v. People-centered advocacy

John Samuel talks about People-centered advocacy in which Advocacy efforts are

focussed on empowering those who have less conventional economic, social or

political power.90 This is done through organizing and mobilization of grassroots in

creating awareness about their rights and also enabling them to assert their rights.

Unequal power relations like patriarchy, sexism are resisted from personal to public

and from family to governance level to effect equity of relationship. Efforts are taken

to bridge micro-level activism and macro-level policy initiatives. John Samuel

observes that the "advocacy groups must be continually sensitive to the grassroots situation and organically bridge the gap between citizens and policy change".

4. Approaches to Advocacy

Advocacy Toolkit for Understanding Advocacy91 states the following approaches to advocacy:

90 John Samuel in Cohen, Rosa de la Vega, and Gabrielle Watson฀ , 14 91 Graham Gordon, "Understanding Advocacy"฀

1. Advocacy for those affected by a situation

Advocacy work is carried out by professionals, NGOs and Church Community on

behalf of the affected communities. The main objective could be change in law,

policy or practice. The issues are identified from outsiders. This method gives quick

access in decision making but it could also strengthen existing power structures and

may not increase the capacity of local groups to act.

2. Advocacy with those affected by a situation

The advocacy is done by a mixture of professionals, NGOs and local community

groups. The objective is to give increased access to decision-making to the local

community to effect change in law, policy or practice. It seeks to build advocacy

capability of those affected by situation. The issue identification is done by the local

community. Shared planning, resources and action are possible. The advocacy skills

and capacity of the community is enhanced.

3. Advocacy by those affected by a situation

In this approach, advocacy is directly done by the local community with the help of

social justice advocates. The local community has the possibility of increased

awareness of advocacy possibilities. And their capacity to do advocacy is also

enhanced. This model empowers the local community to take up the issues and to

seek solutions through various advocacy endeavors.

In several instances, advocacy with the people will be effective as both the

local community and the social justice advocates work together to achieve

the end.

2. Praxis

Advocacy practice involves multiple stages of involvement in analyzing the issues

and effecting remediation measures. Cohen and others observe that the advocacy

efforts will invariably demand to:92

 resist and challenge the status quo often using protest to find ways to engage governance institutions

 raise critical issues - such as inequality - that otherwise would be avoided by those in power.

 place issues and policy demands on political and policy-making systems because those systems are not responding to people's needs

 initiate action and innovate policy solutions  create space for public argument and advocacy  actively engage members, supporters and affected constituencies in

advocacy efforts thereby developing their skills and strengthening future

efforts

The policy advocacy challenges the very process of decision-making that excludes

the majority and their concerns. By mobilizing grassroots in the free spaces, policy

advocacy seeks to effect policy changes by finding avenues for the voices of the

masses to be heard in the corridors of powers.

1. Parameters

It is very important to establish the basic parameters which will facilitate in

identifying the social justice issues and working toward corrective measures. The

92 Cohen, Rosa de la Vega, and Gabrielle Watson฀ , 7

Universal Declaration of Human Rights, created by UN in 1948 gives a broader

framework in determining a person's dignity and relationship to their society:93

Civil and political rights:

■ Right to

 Life  Liberty and security  Privacy  Protection as a child  Opportunity to vote and run for elected office  Equal treatment, protection and recognition before the law

including presumption of innocence, a fair trail and right to

appeal

■ Freedom of

 Movement and choice of residence  Thought, conscience and religion  Opinion and expression  Peaceful assembly  Association

93 Cohen, Rosa de la Vega, and Gabrielle Watson฀ , 39

■ Freedom from

 Torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment

 Slavery or forced labor  Arbitrary arrest  National, racial or religious hatred that incites

discrimination, hostility or violence

 Economic, social and cultural rights or claims against poverty, include the right to

 work  Fair pay and condition  Social security  An adequate standard of living, including adequate

food, clothing and housing

 Education  Practice of one's own culture, religion and language

with other members of one's group

The gross violation of these fundamental rights all around the globe presents huge

responsibility to social justice advocate to work toward the emancipation of the

underprivileged. On a specific level, to understand issues involved in the process of

social advocacy, the Oxfam Advocacy Guide enlists following parameters as

alternatives to the conventional Gross Domestic Product (GDP) that is unilateral as it

fails to consider other factors involved.94

i) Human Development Index (HDI)

Measures life expectancy, educational attainment (adult literacy and mean

years of schooling) and income per capita

ii) Gender-related Development Index (GDI)

Adjusts HDI to account for gender inequality and imbalances in basic health,

education and income

iii) Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM)

Measures whether women and men are able to actively participate in

economic and political life and decision making

iv) Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI)

Measures the economic performance in terms of social and environmental

costs such as crime, natural resource depletion and limited leisure time. These

parameters when used in combination will expose the social reality and help in

working toward equity for all segments of society.

2. Advocacy Stages / Cycle

Hoeffer identifies the following stages in the advocacy process:95

stage 1

Getting Involved

94 Ibid.฀ , 23 95 Hoeffer, 10

The notion of getting involved implies a psychological readiness to

expend energy, time and other resources in the pursuit of social justice.96 The

mental preparedness precedes the physical action.

Stage 2

Understanding the Issues

While looking at the social justice issues from different value

positions, the primary step is to agree on a mutually acceptable definition of the

problem to be addressed. Issue identification and understanding is vital as it will

determine the effectiveness of the advocacy endeavor.

Stage 3

Planning

 to identify what is wanted  to determine the targets of advocacy  to assess when we can or should act  to understand the ways we can act so that we get what we want  to gather appropriate information and incentives to bring the target group to our

side

Planning is about deciding on the means to achieve the end.

Stage 4

Advocating

96 Ibid.

This stage is the intervention stage where we take up the identified

issues and work toward effecting a change. Advocating itself involves several stages

as the issues have to be taken up at the right level so as to challenge the policies

and structures and impact correctives.

Stage 5

Evaluating

Evaluation provides the vital learning process which will facilitate

more skillful advocacy in the future. The effectiveness of advocacy need to be

evaluated and improved.

Stage 6

Ongoing Monitoring

Ongoing monitoring provides information for new planning, new

advocacy and new evaluating. The training and empowering of the beneficiaries can

be fine tuned through ongoing monitoring.

The Tear Fund Advocacy Tool Kit follows the "Advocacy Cycle".97 Though there are few overlaps in the steps, it is worthwhile to consider the advocacy cycle.

1. Issue Identification

To identify the problem that needs to be addressed

2. Research and analysis

Gathering the necessary information and ensure that the causes and effects

of the problem are understood

97 Graham Gordon, "Understanding Advocacy" (Tear Fund, 2002), http://tilz.tearfund.org/Publications/ROOTS/ Advocacy+toolkit.htm฀

3. Planning

When advocacy has been identified as an appropriate way of addressing the

problem, a strategy needs to be formulated. This includes the goal, objectives,

success indicators, means of measurement, targets, allies, methods and activities,

risks and assumptions, time-scale and responsibilities.

4. Action

To take action using the range of methods and activities available. This will

need to be agreed and coordinated with all those involved.

5. Evaluation

To monitor action and evaluate the results throughout the cycle and decide

what future action is appropriate or how advocacy could be done differently in the

future.

The Oxfam Advocacy Guide states:

To engage with decision-making systems and create policy proposals and demands

that decision makers cannot ignore, advocates need to pose critical questions: Will

the solution reached reflect people's needs? Whose voices will be heard? Whose

interests will be served? They need to be able to analyze, critique and formulate

policies by understanding the political realities.98

Along with the steps enumerated in the advocacy stages / cycles, the social justice

advocate need to probe what will be the end result of such a task. By correctly

identifying the problem, in the context of existing social reality, right results can be

obtained.

98 Ibid., 20

3. Free Spaces and Advocacy

Oxfam Advocacy Guide emphasizes the critical role of "free spaces" for engaging in public argument and building public judgment. Free spaces are "public places in the community, between private lives and large-scale institutions" where people come together.99 In free spaces people organize, share experiences and raise issues that

would otherwise be avoided. They engage with people who are in different in some

ways, learn to collaborate, sort through policy priorities and innovative idea.100

Advocates should use free spaces to "generate demands on the political and policy systems to challenge existing power relationship".101 The civil society can be organized as a powerful force in public life by creating free spaces for people to

exchange ideas and innovative actions.102 UN conferences and other regional and

international meetings create international free spaces that can complement the

work being done on the local and national levels.103 The advocates should use the

spaces created by political liberalization and democratization to intervene, raise

public attention for neglected issues, force public arguments and present

alternatives.104 Free spaces are critical for mobilizing the grassroots and making their

voice heard.

4. Strategy development

Strategy development is crucial for the success of the advocacy efforts. Using the

free spaces, people are mobilized, their needs are identified and by adapting proper

strategy the social justice advocate achieves positive outcome. He or she needs to

99 Cohen, Rosa de la Vega, and Gabrielle Watson฀ , 32 100 Ibid.฀ 101 Ibid.฀ 102 Ibid.฀ , 57 103 Ibid., 47 104 Ibid., 39

assess his or her particular situation and select achievable objectives. An action plan

has to be created and should navigate toward achieving end.

Oxfam Guide suggests the following model for strategy development:105

 Objectives - What do we want? ■ Who are we?

■ What is the problem?

■ What is our vision of change

■ What objectives will we focus on?

 Audience - Who has the power to make it happen? ■ What is at stake?

■ How are the changes made?

■ Who are the key audiences?

 Diagnosis -What is possible? ■ What is our capacity to engage in advocacy?

■ What is the external environment like?

■ When you put it all together, what is possible?

 Action plan - How do we get started? ■ How do we move each audience to make or not block change?

105 Ibid., 39

■ How will we protect our group members from risk?

■ What is our work plan?

■ Do we have what we need to get started?

■ What is our backup plan?

 Evaluation - How do we know or plan is working? ■ What has changed in the short term?

■ What has changed in the long term?

The strategy development list is comprehensive. By giving due consideration to

framing the objectives, identifying the audience and the issue and executing the

strategy and evaluating, the success of the advocacy efforts can be ensured.

5. Skill building

Advocacy is all about empowering; The social justice advocate should

empower himself or herself so as to empower others. The Oxfam guide lists

the following categories of skill building that will enhance the effectiveness

of the social justice advocate:106

 Collaboration Advocacy requires working with individuals and groups who share a common

focus or interest. Soft skills need to be developed so as to collaborate with others in

achieving the desired result.

 Use of information and research

106 David Cohen, Rosa de la Vega, and Gabrielle Watson, in Advocacy for Social Justice: Global Action and Reflection Guide (Bloomsfield: Kumarian Press Inc., , 2001), 98-100฀

Information is needed throughout the advocacy effort, from

understanding the problem and key audiences to developing alternative

solutions. Effective messages need to be communicated to the audience for

their grasp of the issue and participation.

 Message development To capture the audience's attention, we need to convey the message that

persuades them. A 'core message' is the straight forward statement reflecting the

problem analysis, cause and proposed solution. A 'tailored message' is created for

specific audience on the analysis of what will be persuasive to the audience in

putting them into action. This is very vital in mobilizing the grassroots at the free

spaces.

 Message delivery including working with the mass media and lobbying The right medium and messenger should be chosen to convey the message

to the intended audience. Mass media are just one way to deliver the message.

Proper selection and use of media will invariably decide the success of advocacy

endeavors. The social justice advocate should attempt to develop these skills so as

to be effective agents of social justice.

Conclusion

A section of the symposium of Lausanne Covenant (1976) reads:

Both technology and capital can put themselves at the service of either good

or evil. From their union, which recognizes no ethical principle, has emerged

the society which worships economic prosperity and the consequent material

well-being of homo consumens (sic). The consumer society is the very social,

political and economic situation in which the world dominated by the powers

of destruction has taken form today: the blind faith in technology, the

irreversible reverence for private property and an inalienable right, the cult

of increased production through the irresponsible sacking of nature, the

disproportional enrichment of the multinational [transnational] corporations

which further impoverishes the "disinherited of the earth," the fever of consumerism, ostentation, and fashion. This materialism is the ideology

which is destroying the human race ((1976:213).107

This agrees with the observations made in the first chapter that the root cause of all

that is wrong with the world is the "blind faith in technology and the irreversible reverence for private property". And this in turn spews out poverty and misery as the destiny of billions of human souls. Yet the potential of capital and technology to

serve humanity is also recognized. By probing this issue further in the second

chapter, an attempt to construct a Scripture-centered solution (within the existing

capitalistic mode) was taken through the exegetical study on the passage Micah 6.1-

8. Through the study, the challenges Micah places before the community of God are

brought out. The challenge as Micah expatiates is to restore relationship between

God and human beings by practicing justice, doing passionate deeds of mercy and

walking in humble obedience to God. As God's agents of justice, we ought to speak

107 C. Rene Padilla, "Impact of Globalization on the Poor," September 2003฀฀

for those who cannot speak for themselves and to defend rights of those who are

defenseless. Haugen notes, "At this historic moment our greatest need is for clarity of vision about this call to advocacy".108 He further observes that,

The church‟s response to the call to advocacy is threatened by two opposite hindrances to obedience - paralyzing ignorance and paralyzing sophistication. On the one hand, many in the body of Christ are ignorant of the call. They have not

been taught about the earthly need and divine opportunity for advocacy. On the

other hand, we are also threatened by an approach to advocacy that becomes

intellectually rarefied, operationally remote and overly sophisticated in a way that

alienates, confuses and immobilizes much of the body of Christ.

The Church has to come out of this paralyzing ignorance and insensitive

sophistication. Then only God's requirements of justice, mercy and humility can be

fulfilled in individual's life. Pseudo-religious notions have to be cast away and in true

humility, the community of God's people need to 'do justice' and 'love mercy'. Vinoth

Ramachandra observes that it is,

God‟s concern that all humainkind should participate both in the development of the earth and in the fruits of that development stand as a massive indictment on a global

economic system that is based on greed and waste - one that is oriented not around

meeting the needs of all humankind (more than forty per cent of whom are too poor to

be part of the global economy) but on stimulating the insatiable wants of the few; that

puts the soaring wages of company directors before the rights of men and women to

meaningful work; and that views the earth not as a living creation to be respected but

simply as another commodity to be consumed.109

We need to rise up to the occasion and address this blatant disparity between the

'haves' and 'have-nots' by challenging all such oppressive policies, structures and

108 Gary A. Haugen in Justice, Mercy and Humility, ed. Tim Chester, (Carlisle: Paternoster, 2003) 109 Vinoth Ramachandra, "Globalization: Toward Theological Perspective and Critique," in Globalization and Poor (Queretaro: Tear Fund, 2003)฀

systems through advocacy. By being advocates of poor and the underprivileged, we

can extend God's concern for "liberty, equality and fraternity" to all segments of human society. While doing advocacy, as social justice advocates we need to

understand that advocacy is primarily to influence political, economic and social

outcome that directly affect people's lives. Though advocacy can be done for the

people and by the people, advocacy with the people will be ideal as the synergistic

cooperation will deliver desired results. Free spaces - public places in the

community, between private lives and large-scale institutions - are critical in mobilizing grassroots and making their voice heard in the corridors of power.

Strategy development and skill building are essential in the process of advocacy to

achieve the end - emancipation of the oppressed. The Scriptural exhortation in Proverbs 31:8-9 beautifully sums up this concern, saying:

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,

for the rights of all who are destitute.

Speak up and judge fairly;

defend the rights of the poor and needy.

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