Band 9 model answer
Whether prosperity carries an obligation to assist the less fortunate is an enduring ethical question. While I respect the value of self-reliance, I largely agree that the wealthy, whether individuals or nations, do bear a genuine responsibility towards the poor.
The strongest argument rests on how wealth is actually generated. Few fortunes are built in isolation; they depend on public infrastructure, an educated workforce, and stable laws that society as a whole provides. Since the prosperous have benefited disproportionately from these shared foundations, it is reasonable that they contribute more towards the common good. Furthermore, much global poverty is the product of historical exploitation and unequal trade, which strengthens the moral claim on richer nations to offer redress rather than mere charity.
Advocates of pure self-reliance counter that individuals should keep what they earn and that handouts breed dependence. There is a kernel of truth here, for assistance that removes all incentive to work can indeed trap people in passivity. However, this objection confuses well-designed support with thoughtless giving. Investment in education, healthcare, and opportunity does not foster dependence; on the contrary, it equips people to stand on their own feet, which is precisely what critics claim to want.
In conclusion, I believe the wealthy do have a meaningful duty to help the poor, grounded both in the shared origins of their success and in basic compassion. This responsibility is best discharged not through grudging charity but through structural support that expands opportunity. A society that ignores the plight of its weakest members is ultimately poorer in every sense that matters, however large its fortunes may be.
Examiner’s notes
- Task Response: the writer adopts a clear 'largely agree' stance, justifies it with original ethical reasoning about how wealth is produced, and addresses the counter-argument fairly before reaffirming the thesis.
- Coherence: the rebuttal paragraph models excellent argumentation, conceding 'a kernel of truth' then dismantling it with the distinction between 'well-designed support' and 'thoughtless giving'.
- Lexical resource: morally weighted, precise diction such as 'self-reliance', 'redress', and 'discharged' (in the sense of fulfilling a duty) shows a confident command of abstract vocabulary.