The Guardian view on globalisation's discontent: it's not right for poor countries to fund the rich

Developing nations have long complained that globalisation has enthroned western currencies in such a way as to subsidise living standards in the rich world. Last year, Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - the Brics - even talked of an alternative common currency to replace the dollar. Wealthy countries, perhaps, think that their ambitious goals for aid defuse arguments over their "exorbitant privilege". As TS Eliot put it, "between the idea and the reality ... falls the shadow". A paper out last week calculates that the bottom four-fifths of humanity finance the richest fifth to the tune of $660bn…