Is foreign aid the solution to global poverty?”?

Question

Long answers please

Answer 1

No - foreign aid tends to go to corrupt governments (who are partially to blame for the initial poverty).

Better solutions are things like microcredit; etc.

IF you want a VERY long answer; check out either of William Easterly's book.

Answer 2

Gee. Hope this isn't for homework.

My opinion is that it's more a short-term solution. If you're trying to fix a short-term problem (e.g. unexpected drought), then it may work. For chronic problems that's been plaguing the country for decades, it's not the way to go. It may give you a feeling that, at least, you did something. But ultimately it just buys some time at best.

Global poverty can be caused by many factors. Ineffectual governance, genocide, corruption, war, exploitation, colonization. These are the underlying problems. They take longer and more resources to fix. And not everyone wants to actually fix the problem because some people actually benefit from the situation.

Answer 3

I'm surprised nobody here mentioned anything about establishing the proper infrastructure that a third world country needs: schools, roads, electricity, and gas lines...

But there is no simple solution. As soon as you solve one problem, another one pops up. Or there will be a problem that can't be solved unless a bunch of other problems are solved first.

Ultimately, what is needed is a change in attitude.

Answer 4

Foreign aid is less like charity and more like credit cards.

Countries have to pay for the grains and powdered milk and guns we give them.

And since these countries are often very poor, they can't pay us back--and because they can't, they owe us even more! Then we own their butts.

And the country that got the aid, well, chances are none of what they got helped them reclaim agricultural land, build schools, develop indigenous industry, etc.

Answer 5

No. u wanna know what is? The solution is for people like most Americans and filthy *** rich people like Paris Hilton to stop being selfish pricks and reach out to people who truely suffer. And for the record, rich people could be a lil' more charitable in general. Ya know instead of buying a 500,000$ car, take that 500 grand and send it to a country in Africa or something.

Answer 6

No, as it increases the dependence of poor countries with respect to the richest ones.

In this sense, what would be better is to establish fair trade rules, which would enable countries to offer in equal competitive conditions their products.

By this way, the industries of poor countries would be able to use their resources, which are not allocated in richest countries, and, hence, to develop without the "help" of other national communities.

Answer 7

Here is a interview with an economist from Kenya. You should give it a read.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/spiegel/0,1518,363663,00.html
.

Answer 8

no