Aid to Africa? (was Odd American Points of View)

[dandan]

I agree but don't expect the French to give up farm subsidies that easily. (blaming the French is a good way to get Americans to agree)

Over half of Africans live on less than $1 a day. EU cows get over $2 a day in subsidies.

Although not the complete answer, aid to keep people alive and debt relief to allow education and basic infrastructure should help get Africa to a point where the various trade barriers are the biggest problem.

[Godder]

There is a glut of food on the world market, and yet, people are starving to death.

When it comes to protection of agriculture with tariffs and subsidies, the EU and the US are terrible offenders. Farmers protest and lobby for greater protection and more subsidies, or at least retention of the current levels, and the politicians and governments cave in. Perhaps guilt is the way forward. Perhaps guilt is the way to change opinions. Perhaps making it clear that farmers who protest/lobby for retention of the status quo are largely responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people annually worldwide, and the horrifically poor conditions of many millions more, would help change their attitudes.

Probably not, though.

[jcb193]

The biggest problem with Africa is population explosion.  I don't know why more people don't understand this.  You don't need more hospitals, food, infrastructure, government, medicine- if you have a manageable population.  But right now, as unfortunate as it is, you save one person and that person goes on to birth 2-6 more and your economics needs are now exponentially higher. 

As much as i give and try to help struggling countires of the world out, two things become apparent.

1.) Population growth causes most of the problems.
2.) Aid is one of the most inefficient methods EVER.

I personally support the charities that try to teach people skills, industries, or mini-businesses (giving them a cow to milk, etc).  Otherwise, you are on a downward spiral that no amount of blank aid can fix. 

JB

[Godder]

Population growth exacerbates problems, but it doesn't cause them, because it's a symptom of poor living conditions (children provide insurance and superannuation in one neat package). If living conditions and education are improved, population growth will slow, much as in the Western world in the last 200 years. Fix trade, and the poor nations will be in a much better position to sort out their own problems.