[PEN-L:5220] Foreign Aid/International Govt Spending

[(Marianne Hill) <mhill@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I was very disappointed to hear that Food First is now against US
government to government nonmilitary? foreign aid, and I'd like some
details.  Are you sure this is correct? No food aid in the face of famine?

I think any blanket opposition to foreign aid is counterproductive--when
teaching, I have used the analogy of opposing federal aid such as AFDC to
the states on the grounds of opposition to federal or state policies (eg
the inadequacy of the AFDC program). I think we have a double standard
when it comes to other countries--if the government is corrupt/undemocratic/
younameit, it should receive no aid, even tightly restricted aid.  But
cut off federal funds (eg AFDC) to a group of US citizens on
similar grounds?? Never.  Aid often goes a long way towards meeting needs
in developing countries--it is likely in the case of much aid that the
poor will suffer way before the rich.

Of course, a major concern must be improving the responsiveness of the
governments of these countries to the needs of their citizens, but
threatening to cut off or oppose aid because we disapprove of the
government is not the most effective course.  On the other hand, many
liberals feel reluctant to support workers' groups, women's groups, etc
in these countries on grounds that this might be "imperialistic".  The
appropriate course I would argue must vary by country and by program:

Sweden has an interesting approach--it concentrates its aid to governments
which it feels are using the aid particularly well and in terms of other
countries it concentrates on humanitarian aid.

My most intense experience with a poor country and foreign aid was in
Bangladesh.

Marianne mhill@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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>Subject: [PEN-L:5214] Abolishing AID

Bob Naiman suggests it would be good if there was a call to abolish all foreign

aid, as Jessie Helms is now pushing for.  I think this is very ill thought-out.
Clearly some (much) U.S. foregn aid goes to the wrong people.  Some goes to
help poor people mobilize themselves to organize for primary health care and
basic education (e.g. the child survival fund of AID pushed by the black caucus and the hunger coalition).  In short, "foregn aid" is very much like "govt.
programs".
...it seems to me we should be demanding a different sort of
World BAnk instead.