-If  the United Nations was fully funded, why would we need the Arc or social enterprise?

During my course preparation for lesson 20, this question reverberated times and again in my mind. In fact, social enterprise is not a novel concept to me. When I was in high school, I attended one Model United Nations event involving delegations from multiple countries, and our issue was micro-finance in Africa. I also have a friend, a true social entrepreneur, whose business provides impoverished children in Vietnam with affordable stationary.

Firstly, I believe that every top-down decision is only effective when people truly comply with it, with good administration or even force. The UN, however, has no military or political authority to enforce any decision. For instance, it could only condemn Rwanda in 1994 for genocide, and urge its members to send peace keeping troops. If we do not take the initiative to create social enterprises or at least encourage them, we will only see politicians preaching for change without seeing any real change coming.

Secondly, we must bear in mind that the UN is not a business group, but a political one. It is true that the UN could help humanitarian organizations clear political barriers, for instance, help doctors acquire unhindered access to fighting areas. The UN, however, is never as able as shrewd businessmen in detecting opportunities that allow social enterprises to survive and develop.

A third and more subtle point is that social enterprises generally teach people how to fish, while the UN gives fish directly. If a famine arises, it is likely for the UN to be immediately involved. In less turbulent times, however, only social enterprises have the day-to-day attention required to help poor people regain self-sufficiency.

Reference: The Arc Initiative

<http://www.sauder.ubc.ca/Global_Reach/ARC_Initiative>

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