Tags: Politics
I got in a bit of a debate yesterday with a few Bush-haters (of the canadian and european variety) that was sparked by this whole G-8 meeting and the focus on Africa. I was told that I’m a “typical selfish American” for beliving this aid is not a high priority when compared to the war that we’re fighting. Apparently liberals just plain don’t believe that people are capable of achieving for themselves and that they need the aid to survive. I can understand the emotional argument, as this is really a bad situation for the people of these African countries, but I don’t think hand-outs will do anything to help them back on their feet.
Today I ran across an article [via DailyPundit] that puts my thoughts about our whole foriegn aid policy into a very simplistic perspective.
Key quotes:
SPIEGEL: Mr. Shikwati, the G8 summit at Gleneagles is about to beef up the development aid for Africa…
Shikwati: … for God’s sake, please just stop.
SPIEGEL: Stop? The industrialized nations of the West want to eliminate hunger and poverty.
Shikwati: Such intentions have been damaging our continent for the past 40 years. If the industrial nations really want to help the Africans, they should finally terminate this awful aid. The countries that have collected the most development aid are also the ones that are in the worst shape. Despite the billions that have poured in to Africa, the continent remains poor.
This is true, and Shikwati goes on to explain why.
Shikwati: I am afraid, though, that the money will still be transfered before long. After all, it has to go somewhere. Unfortunately, the Europeans’ devastating urge to do good can no longer be countered with reason.
This is such a gem that I had to include it. He speaks volumes of the UN’s policy and the bleeding-heart liberal’s attempts that can “no longer be countered with reason”. I love it.
Shikwati: Why do we get these mountains of clothes? No one is freezing here. Instead, our tailors lose their livlihoods. They’re in the same position as our farmers. No one in the low-wage world of Africa can be cost-efficient enough to keep pace with donated products. In 1997, 137,000 workers were employed in Nigeria’s textile industry. By 2003, the figure had dropped to 57,000. The results are the same in all other areas where overwhelming helpfulness and fragile African markets collide.
I suggest you read the full article.
One Response to “Africa doesn’t want foreign aid?”
Walker on 10 Jul 2005 at 12:56 am #
Came across your website just typing in random web addresses - I share your sentiments about Africa, but I do have beef about your categorization of ‘liberal’.
I take issue with this quote: “Apparently liberals just plain don’t believe that people are capable of achieving for themselves and that they need the aid to survive.”
Really? I’m anti-bush. I’m against the war in Iraq. I proudly voted for John Kerry. I hate the current integration between the church and the state. Does this make me a liberal. I suppose by many definitions, it does.
Do I think that African nations aren’t capable of achieving for themselves? No. Once again, you fall into the category of the type of person who likes to demonize people by calling them ‘liberals’.
The rest of your article, I agree with. I think that Africa, first and foremost, needs fair trade. Eliminating the farm subsidy in the United States and in Europe is the first way to eliminate African poverty. By giving African farmers a chance to trade with the rest of the world, we will help them more than we ever could by throwing money at them.
That said, I think you should quit the unnecessary stereotyping of ‘liberals’. It’s not very fair, and makes you look like one of the blathering pundits on Fox news. Get your own opinion. It doesn’t have to be based on hating someone elses’.