The Redhunter

It's easy to criticize Geldorf for his "something must be done" statement, and I'm going to do that.

Before we do that, however, let's take a look at his policy recommendations

On trade, his recommdations seem fairly reasonable. While the devil is in the details, free trade usually works in favor of poor nations. As long as wealthy environmentalists and "labor rights" types do not put onerous burdens on these countries, free trade will have some benefit.

On aid, money is fine and good, and can help, but only under certain conditions. And here is where we run into trouble. For simply sending money can do more harm than good unless it is properly used, and only if other, more root causes, are dealt with.

And it is his prescription for debt cancellation that gives one pause. Forgiving debt will only do any good if African governments undertake serious reforms, and if cultural habits change. I am not at all sure that I see enough action in this area.

A Contradiction

Geldorf says that "African governments must be free from corruption and thuggery and put in place recognised practices of good governance..." but this will only occur if the money sent is made contingent on the reforms. Unfortunately, from what I can tell, this is the exact opposite of what Geldorf and those like him will do. They somehow believe that you can both send vast amounts of money and demand reform simulatneously. I am not as sanguine.

And here we go back to the quote that started this post:

Something must be done, even if it doesn't work.

The purpose of aid is all too often simply to make the giver feel good. I've seen this at churches, where we are told that we must undertake x and such a project and no one is supposed to ask whether it does any good in the long run.

It is all-too easy to criticize people like Geldorf that make what one hopes was an intemperate statement. But it has to be recognized that sometimes well-meaning aid may actually make the situation worse.

Geldorf thus misses the point when he talks about not applauding "half measures". We don't need some huge Marshall Plan for Africa, we need something that works. What I will not applaud is throwing money at a problem and making nice-sounding statements about reform that one will not back up with action.

Our duty, then, is to work out means of which aid can be given, and policy recommendations made, that will have a positive effect. One should not criticize without having any prescriptions of one's own.

But it is time to run off for work, and so the rest will have to wait for another post.