International aid in the dock

JohnPage

Dambisa Moyo is persuasive on why perpetual aid is unlikely to work. However, the issue for debate seems to be not that, but whether everyone should be forced to contribute. They shouldn't. In the localist Big Society, individuals make their own decision about how much to give. The only remaining question: should these voluntary contributions be subject to tax relief, making taxpayers at large contribute anyway?

Of course politicians love doling out other people's money. Why should we let them, when there's that more democratic alternative available?

The Department doesn't audit aid properly anyway, and some of it goes to bizarre causes. Stop the aid and chop the department.

Jordan

I don't think the west do misdiagnose Africa's problems. We keep them aid dependant to remove a possible economic compititor with many competitive advantages from the playing field.

Yam Yam

Yes, Fraser, the Big Society analogy is especially apt.

David Cameron once said he would not cut the deficit on the backs of the world's poor. However, he appears relaxed about doing so on the backs of some of his own country's poorest citizens.

DavidDP

Charlie Wilson's War is an interesting film in this regard.

The key point comes at the end, when the Communists have succesfully been driving out, after the delivery of billions of dollars to Afghan rebel forces.

The nascent Afghan government, along with various aid agencies, assisted by Charlie Wilson, then apply for funding for things like schools and hospitals. Aid, in other words. This funding runs to far less than the billions previously spent.

Such requests are turned down.

Skip forward three decades, and we have spent tens of billions again in Afghanistan on fighting another war, partially prompted by the influence of the Taliban, and the safe haven they gave to bin Laden to run his terror network.

Possibly for the want of several hundred million on aid, which would have provided a civil infrastructure that might have left the Taliban no vaccum of which to take advantage.

The money spent today on aid could prevent billions being spent in military expenditure, not to mention the blood price, in the future. Soft power is value for money, and life.

normanc

Have you considered audio recording and podcasting these?

I'm way up in the north of Scotland so will never get to attend one in person but the subjects do interest me and the quality of speakers always seems fantastic.

You could make it a subscriber only feature on the website or sell them for a couple of quid each to recoup the costs.

2trueblue

Why are we giving to India? If they can afford a nuclear program they can afford to look after their poor.

TGF UKIP

All well and good Fraser, there's probably not too many CHers who are going to give you any argument over the points you make.

What is the point, though, of your banging and whingeing on about this issue as you do, while supporting and promoting the sods so assiduously.

Heath2 believes he has an entirely different consituency from the one you would wish him, or any other Leader of the Consevative Party, to address, and as long as you refuse to face up to that, I for one will not be taking too much notice of such posts as this.

Rhoda Klapp

"To ensure scrupulous impartiality, the debate will be chaired by Rod Liddle. "

You know, not everybody can do deadpan, in print. Kudos.

Herbert Thornton

"Alan Duncan is the man to thanks (sic) - or blame, depending on your point of view - for the Tories committing to spend 0.7 per cent of economic output on foreign aid. He made the pledge in opposition, and .......Andrew Mitchell (who succeeded Duncan)......persuaded Cameron that his fiscal credibility depended on keeping it."

So, keeping a "pledge", made to people in India who can't vote, is vitally important to Cameron's credibility - yet Cameron's own pledge of a referendum, made to voters in his own country, is a matter of so little consequence that it affects Cameron's credibility not one whit?

I know that is says "fiscal credibility" but it's still difficult to keep a straight face.

Austin Barry

I checked the ‘depressingly brilliant’ Andrew Mitchell’s website and noted the following:

“As Secretary of State for International Development, Andrew leads the Government’s campaign to tackle global poverty.”

Never heard of hubris, Mr Brilliant?

Rhoda Klapp

So, if the debate goes the way of the poll on the CH page, 7 to 1 against when I voted, how will that make the minister look? Completely stupid and undemocratic, to go with the events of last week? Fool if he turns up.

Alexander Mason

We are the most generous in Europe in absolute terms. In percentage of GDP terms we are average.

Verity

Rhoda K 1:06 pm - Outstanding.

TGF UKIP - Heath2. I like it. He even has the same smirking, superior, avuncular style.

Noa.

Like Normanc it's not possible for me to be there.
In addition to the proposal for recording and making podcasts available, have the marketing team considered the possibility of live internet broadcasting?

Verity

The days of "international aid" should have been over 30 years ago. Hundreds of billions siphoned off producing countries and given to begging countries that tolerate the Mugabe tendency ... and why not? The dictators are bringing billions into the country, even if they do keep most of it for themselves. Some of it seeps down.

The Third World begging bowl should be kicked out of their hands, they should be told we don't want to hear any more whining, and they should be told they're on their own.

Africa is the richest continent on the earth. Fortunately, the Chinese have recognised this, and, in their pragmatic way, they are taking it over. So one way or another, we can get the sight of the begging bowl out of the legislatures of the developed world.

Heartless P.

The absurdity of the H2B, his coterie of idiots, and his ridiculous plans, - be they to do with the Global Warming Scam, Windmills, O/S aid - and all the other claptrap is nicely summed up in the words,

there is something deeply strange — almost perverse — about borrowing money from China and giving it to India

So we have to ask again: how long can this lunatic, - sorry, - 'deranged person' - survive?

Portuguese Dave

Fraser, living in distant climes I am unable to attend your debates. Are they available on the web somewhere? There have been, by all reports, some corkers of late and I'm missing out!

maxsceptic

Why not cut out the middlemen and give international aid directly to Mercedes Benz?

Fluffy Ostrich

Hello, Fraser. A fleeting thought here: perhaps you will ensure Alan Duncan as a meal before next participating in a debate, to reduce his chances of being nasty to the other team.

Fluffy Ostrich

NB: *has* a meal...

[Sorry]

Hello, Fraser. A fleeting thought here: perhaps you will ensure Alan Duncan as a meal before next participating in a debate, to reduce his chances of being nasty to the other team.