To: Erin and Wim
From: Risky
RISKY wrote:
How does the US compare to other nations? Other wealthy nations? What are
other exports worth
(technology, science, business know-how, democratic institutions, medicine,
jobs)? ... my guess is that much of the aid we give goes to ill rather than
to good. I also guess that -- all things considered -- we give more than
other developed countries in percentage terms.
RISKY now adds:
Thanks Wim for the statistics. The US is indeed a laggard in direct foriegn
aid to the OECD.
There is a lot of suspicion among conservatives here that aid is used to
undermine growth and investment. They argue that successful, progressive
countries usually succeed through self development and that those countries
that get aid tend to become dependent upon aid. Their fear is that aid can
actually undermine farming and industry (which can't compete with free goods)
and that it can prop up or fund exploitive regimes that gain more from aid
than from investing in self sufficiency. If you go out in the internet, you
can find many of these arguments by conservatives.
There is certainly a degree of reasonableness in their arguments, though it
seems to me that there are probably ways to provide needed aid AND avoid
these pitfalls. I see no reason why the US can't give .7% AND ensure the
money is used prudently (let's teach 'em to fish).
However, Americans (especially conservatives) are distrustful of central
government. They tend to prefer money to stay in the hands of individuals
than be collected into taxes and redirected toward grand schemes. I doubt
American's will trust the government to really use the money wisely, and I
believe they would resent any increase in taxes to go for this purpose.
WIM:
A World Bank economist stated publicly yesterday that (according to World
Bank research) development aid is more effective than a lot of people think.
Thanks to development aid people in the receiving countries are healthier
and better educated than 50 years ago.
RISKY:
I of course agree that people are healthier and better educated than 50 years
ago. The question is whether aid was something that contributed to the
progress or suppressed it. My guess is a bit of both. Let's agree though
that WISE AID can certainly help.
Risky
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