100
4 votes
May 3, 2015

Most foreign aid is a waste, it doesn't help the local population. Say there is a drought, people are starving, we send in foreign aid in the way of wheat. What happens? The local wheat farmers can't compete with free wheat, so they don't plant, which means there is no new crop, which means no food, which leads to staving people, which leads to more foreign aid. That's assuming that the aid even reaches the people it's intended to help, given the scandals. Aid going to the military, aid going into bank accounts, food aid being sold or those who receive the aid are forced to give some to landlords.

IF you're going to give aid, you're far better oft buy as much as you can locally, that gives incentives for people to improve their farming methods, meaning more food, it also get money in the local economy which get businesses growing. You see even when there is massive starvation, food is generally available, but the price is too high, if you help the poor buy food from local sources it's a win win.

The way we currently do foreign aid is a waste, we basically destroy the countries ability to dig itself out so they become dependent on the aid, forever.

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100
main reply
1 vote,
May 3, 2015

"Most foreign aid is a waste, it doesn't help the local population."

I think you're overly negative. There's lots of kinds of aid that work really well, and there is lots of evidence that foreign aid has helped countries immensely. Free vaccines have eradicated certain diseases in large swathes of the developing world.

Emergency food aid keeps people alive not just through droughts, but also in refugee camps. There is no local food to buy in these places. Other emergency aid improves recovery after war and natural disasters by providing e.g. transportation and clean water — basic stuff that people need in order to rebuild their lives. This stuff helps poor countries from falling over completely in a crisis, and keeps the development index from climbing back down.

Developmental aid, intended to reduce poverty and the type of aid that Bill Gates was talking about, isn't typically food. Vaccines is one example, which I've already mentioned. Water pumps and water purifiers also contribute to better public health and all the subsequent benefits. Initiatives that promote and enable education have also been shown to be effective forms of aid.

However, you are of course correct in that not *all* aid is effective. "Aid" is sometimes given for the wrong reasons (like when we sent a surplus of vegetables to Africa where it just rots) or in the wrong way (like when we sent money to Mobutu to help Zaire). Foreign aid, like everything, must be done properly for it to work.

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100
1 vote,
May 3, 2015

Even when there is is drought there is food available, but the price is too high for the people to afford. But once you start bring in free food how do the local farmer's compete? They can't, why buy it when you can get it for free? Then the farmers don't have to funds to upgrade or plant crops and even if they did why bother, you won't get a return on your investment.

Sure this is some aid that does some good, but in general, food aid (unless said food bought locally until the supply is exhausted) only destroys the countries ability to feed itself. Developmental aid doesn't do much good unless there is a stable government and said government allows foreign investment and ownership.

The "problem" with foreign aid is that outsider's try and do things the locals don't want or need. They TELL the locals what they MUST do, instead of listening to what they want and need. They may need and want a school, but they also need the sexes to be separate. While you might not see that as important, in many cultures that is very important.

Short term aid from a disaster if it's really short term is fine, but short term aid generally become long term and the country never really recovers.

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0
User voted Not entirely.
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0 votes,
Jan 7, 2016

I like your analysis on foreign aid and how it really doesn't help the local people who need it the most.

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