The Importance of Pragmatic Solidarity

In Pathologies of Power, Dr. Paul Farmer describes his experience treating numerous patients in the more destitute areas of the world. After bearing witness to these people’s lifestyles and poor living conditions, he evaluated his opinions on health care and explored its correlation to human rights. He believes that universal health care is necessary, and enforcement of universal health care will help heal those with curable diseases rather than allow them to die. In his book, Farmer discusses a notion known as pragmatic solidarity, which involves people coming together to help those in need of overcoming an obstacle, but in a practical manner. Farmer’s overall method for solving universal health care issues would require a great deal of effort; however, the usage of pragmatic solidarity would facilitate larger movements toward equal health care opportunities.
Two areas of the world where Farmer spent a lot of time treating the ill were Central and South America, namely in Haiti and Peru, as well as many other locations. The impoverished residents of these countries are plagued by incurable diseases, such as AIDS, but are also suffering and dying from treatable diseases, such as tuberculosis. Many contract the treatable diseases from their poor living conditions and from their ignorance of disease prevention. Educating these people on the disease, as well as providing “prompt diagnosis and cure . . . are the means to prevent new infection” (Farmer 148). Generally, patients choose to stop treatments when the symptoms disappear, which actually causes long-term problems. Through pragmatic solidarity, medical professionals would work on better treatment plans for indigent patients and assist them in understanding these treatments so that they can actually be cured (Farmer 149). Because of their financial circumstances, the afflicted of these countries are mostly denied medical care. This dilemma cannot be solved anytime soon, however, “it encourages physicians to make common cause with people who are both poor and sick” (Farmer 152), which is the heart of pragmatic solidarity.
Unfortunately, the poor, who Farmer interacted with, have no voice or opinion on human rights violations in their countries, as they “rely solely on appeals to governments” (Farmer 17). History shows that the government appears to not care about the problems of the poor, which prevents the sick from finding the means to treatment or cures, even though those should be available to them regardless of government belief. Author J. Sorbrino, whom Farmer quotes, notes, “There is no doubt that the only correct way to love the poor will be to struggle for their liberation. This liberation will come at the most elementary level–that of their simple, physical life, which is what is at stake in the present situation” (Farmer 145). Pragmatic solidarity is the first step in this “liberation” of the poor. Assisting the impoverished through education and treatment would compel the government to recognize the inequality that these people have been exposed to. Pragmatic solidarity, if carried out properly, would be “a response to structural violence” (Farmer 220) and eventually, the domestic government would begin to aid in the care of the poor people living under them.
The central message of Pathologies of Power conveys the importance of pragmatic solidarity, which is a means of helping the destitute of the world by working to heal and cure them of their health inflictions. As these people are cured, they can begin to practice disease prevention as taught to them by health care professionals. The governments of the nations that contain the poor and ill would come to recognize the success of educating and treating the people, and would discover the injustice that actually destroys these people. Pragmatic solidarity is the first step toward universal health care and other human rights equalities as Dr. Paul Farmer envisions it.