Here it is: http://www.rationalrevolution.net/blog/ Look for the title "It's not African Aid, it's reparations" dated on June 8, 2005.
fyi for future reference, check out the blue "link to this post" tab after the article on that, and most other, blogs. Then you/we won't have to scroll down.
3814, I realize that you think it unfair that governments would just cancel debts owed to them, when it is the taxpayers' money that you perceive they are essentially "giving away". But in most cases, the interest that has been paid over decades and decades on the majority of these debts is worth several times what the initial loan amount was. Think of it like the $200k loan you take from the bank to buy your house. By the time you finish paying it off in 30 yrs you will have undoubtedly have paid several hundred thousand just in mortgage interest on top of the actual loan principle! And these loans to African nations have been at much higher interest rates than what you or your parents have ever been offered for home loans. Also, wnes' pirated blog post is spot on.
I suppose that you would support the idea of Europe, Japan, and the US to donate billions of dollars in reparations to China. Heck - and they're the ones lending the US money. Our standard of living does not match the US yet - so a case of need can be made. And the CCP, no matter how oppressive some may mistakenly think they are, is sure a lot more benevolent than some of the African governments.
People donate money because that make them feel good, responsible person try to look after the money for them good causes. While government try to find a reason to donate or refute aid..... By the way, people buy a lot of goods and throw them away unused, because the idea of buying something made them feel good....And the feel-good factor is what made the world go round......
Reparations to China? In principle yes, but in practice no. The way Africa is going on right now, with the compounding burden of paying extra "debts" to its "creditors", there is no light at the end of tunnel. If not for anything else, simply on moral grounds, aids (not AIDS) should be poured into that continent with no strings attached. China to the contrary is doing quite well (that's an understatement) and capable of self-sufficiency, so it is not wise to allocate much needed resources from West to China under current situation. A better example to help commie China is perhaps during the great famine from 1961-1963. But what you and I can expect?
Geez...To settle the debate, all we need are statements claiming China is the model minority...er nation while Africans definitely don't need affirmative aid from the 7 European and 1 Asian countries. The editorialist has some selective reading skills. The Economist usually harps against the agricultural lobbies in industrialized countries, such as America, France and the EU in general, as barriers against growth in Africa. Farm subsidies push export aggy prices cheaper to the point where industrialized countries would be accused of dumping if China or Japan ever pulled something similar upon us. France and America have large aggy lobbyists that have stopped any movement to kill the subsidies. Negotiations are ongoing in the WTO, but both sides have been entrenched.
Great move by Bush, putting the ball completely in the EU's (and thus Chirac's) hands. Given how French farmers riot, protest, strike & block highways anytime someone so much as mentions cutting back their government cheese, I would imagine this will go nowhere in France. Seeing how the "Polish Plumber" was demonized prior to the EU referendum, the "Ukrainian/Polish/Tanzanian Farmer" will most likely be the next scare tactic employed. Will be interesting to follow, as will the reactions from the farm state politicians here in the US who are beholden to the agribusiness industry. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,22649-1679916,00.html "I'll drop farming subsidies if EU does the same, says Bush"
I agree 100% with that!!! The entrenched nature of the aid programs, their delivery, and agricultural barriers and subsidies in Western countries that effectively eliminate a potential industry in developing nations are huge issues. But cutting them off with some good ol' tough love is morally wrong. And will cause too much hardship. Certainly in the short term. Possibly in the long term too. There is a huge need, and we have the means, and IMO the responsibility to help. The billion dollar question, is how to do it. And I think that should be the focus. Not whether we help....but how. How to provide developing nations with the means to bring their standards of livings up to levels we, in the west, would still find deplorable. Talk that we can't afford it is nonsense. We can. Lots of problems with the way it's been done the last several decades. But lots of successes too. So we shouldn't just pour more money into programs that don't work. But rather, look for programs that do. And not balance our books by cutting them off.
In Bono's defense, he gives a great deal of his time and energy to trying to improve conditions in Africa. His efforts go way beyond participating in Live 8. As you say, writing a check wouldn't be a sacrifice for someone that rich. But, time is precious.
wnes what you say sounds good but you should really read up more on africa. i hate to glance over things by just saying yes horrible things have happened in africa due to western powers, but you also need to look at how tribalism and religious intolerance has destroyed any sort of nationalism within africa. i hate referring to africa as a whole too since most of my knowledge is centered on western africa. anyhow...with your last statement you are pretty much showing ignorance to how deep the problems in africa run by saying that if western nations simply learn from past wrongs it will help get africa out of the gutter. read up on the atrocities that go on in nigeria on a daily basis and tell me how western nations learning from past wrongs helps nigeria out. it doesn't. african nations need to learn how to live with each other on their own. us learning about what we did wrong and how we hurt africa is a good thing but saying that it will help africa get out of its gloomy situation is just naive. yeah it helps but thats like someone saying i helped build the great wall of china by laying one brick. sure we can always learn more and learning is good. hell i've learned a ton about western africa and nigeria. it's good stuff to know but it's also sad to know when there is nothing you can do about it because these are social issues that are killing africa. maybe if we learned how to create a middle class in africa then we would solve some of these issues.
An interesting discussion. 1) Be somewhat skeptical of any argument that essentially says it is all Africa's fault and that the best thing to do is not spend any Western money there. 2) We need to forgive all debt to Africa. It was largely wasted and sent to Swiss bank accounts or whatever. 3) This is like current aid, but perhaps fosters less dependency. 3) Make it a crime for US and other multinationals to sell them military weapons, tempting as it is to make a profit. 4) Cut all tariffs whatsoever on anything produced by African countries that need to develop. 5) Send them in kind aid, that is needed for developent. i.e., actually go and build the schools, water systems, roads, railroads that are needed. Do not give money to their corrupt governments. 6) Despite the AFrican economist, some times you just have to feed people who are going to starve in the next month or two, when the local government doesn't have enough money to feed them. It is inhumane not too.
I know almost nothing about Africa. But it seems that some of the nation-states, first and foremost, need a strong and fair legal system that would promote real economic development. After that, perhaps some states should follow the Chinese model of development - utilize cheap labor to lure foriegn investment so people would have jobs. As this grows, a feasible tax-base can be generated - which would, in turn, lead to public works such as infrastructure, sanitation, and education - which would, in turn, help these nation-states foster indegenous industries so that the economy can thrive without foreign capital or aid. Any money given in foreign aid should be used to promote economic development. Simply throwing $$ into the hands of the populace may only result in inflation in the case of local industries - or "one-time" imports of goods manufactured inother countries.
i like this post. if economic aid isn't the answer, then we need to find out what the answer is. i don't believe we can do nothing. we can't sit by.
Some of these steps are somewhat unfeasible. If we don't give the $$ to the govts., then who do we give it too? If organizations just go in and start building roads, schools, etc. - how do we prevent the corrupt govts. from taking over without stepping on their national sovereignty. Each nation must retain the right to establish their own tariffs and military sales. I think you are overestimating the power of America. Maybe the WTO can do something. Even then - no organization can actually enforce a soverien nation's trade rules. How will we feel when low-skill US manufacturing start declining due to Africa? The US already b*tches about China - and they are still a poor country. What Africa needs foremost is a real legal system that holds both the denizens and rulers accountable. An organized, relatively corruption-free environment is what is needed most for stable economic growth.
langal -- all that is fine and well. and i agree with you. but RIGHT NOW people are starving. RIGHT NOW people are dying because they have no clean water. that's unacceptable. we need a broad, long-range plan...but we also have to address the here and now.
