NationStates Jolt Archive

http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/africa/06/29/bono.africa.reut/index.html

It's important to know that some African nations were in good shape when they became independent from European powers. They managed to drive themselves into the ground. They're still driving themselves into the ground. And now nutjobs like Bono go and do stuff like this? They should go and fuck themselves.

Bono's a tool.

Well, he's got every right to try. The first thing you need to take care of in Africa is corrupt governments. How is anyone over there going to want to start a business if the government will just bulldoze it if it doesn't like you.

Bono's great (http://z.about.com/d/politicalhumor/1/0/F/c/pope_bono.jpg).

Well, he's got every right to try. The first thing you need to take care of in Africa is corrupt governments. How is anyone over there going to want to start a business if the government will just bulldoze it if it doesn't like you.

Boy, and throwing money at them is really gonna help. No, it's not. More money gives the African governments MORE incentive to be MORE corrupt.

Bono's a jerk. It pisses me off that he goes out and tries to force elected governments to do things that their people don't agree with.

Boy, and throwing money at them is really gonna help. No, it's not. More money gives the African governments MORE incentive to be MORE corrupt.

Hey I actually agree with you. Throwing cash at them is the worst thing to do. To his credit, I don't think that's the only thing Bono's asking for though.

http://filibustercartoons.com/archive.php?id=20050617

Not quite Bono, but it's the same idea. :p

Boy, and throwing money at them is really gonna help. No, it's not. More money gives the African governments MORE incentive to be MORE corrupt.

The correct path of action is to let them sort out their own problems and meanwhile everyone can have a tax cut as foreign aid is reduced.

Assuming consistent favourable growth rates spread across all african countries...Africa should be up to where the first world is today in per capita GDP in around 100 years. And then, assuming the same growth rates, the first world countries will only have four times the amount of their average GDP.

See? Things will be right in around half a milennia or so. No need to fret. :)

(oh my, I forgot to factor in population growth rates. Well, make that a milennia, but AIDS should balance that out anyway. :))

Aid is just another form of colonialism. So is just about everything else the West does to "help" Africa. What Africa needs is to learn to make progress on its own.

Boy, and throwing money at them is really gonna help. No, it's not. More money gives the African governments MORE incentive to be MORE corrupt.

True. The only way Africa will lift itself from poverty is if the nature of aid changes and the world takes an active stance towards propagating democracy and human rights...by force, if necessary. Otherwise, we're just writing these governments checks to buy limousines and mansions for their officials.

I'm just wondering what Bono's "half a cheer" would sound like.

True. The only way Africa will lift itself from poverty is if the nature of aid changes and the world takes an active stance towards propagating democracy and human rights...by force, if necessary. Otherwise, we're just writing these governments checks to buy limousines and mansions for their officials.

In many cases it would require eradicating a tribal mentality that these people have had since time immemorial. It'll be rough and success is a long way off.

Bono's a jerk. It pisses me off that he goes out and tries to force elected governments to do things that their people don't agree with.
It could be worse - he could secretly go in and overthrow elected governments and replace them with puppet dictators loyal to Bono.

In many cases it would require eradicating a tribal mentality that these people have had since time immemorial. It'll be rough and success is a long way off.

It's worth it in the long run, but I just don't think people are committed enough to do it. We had a hard enough time keeping governments involved in Darfur even though that was a horrendous crisis that was killing tens of thousands of people...

Boy, and throwing money at them is really gonna help. No, it's not. More money gives the African governments MORE incentive to be MORE corrupt.

For God's sake, at least know what his position is before you pose at disagreeing with it. The Africa Commission's policy is that Aid is ultimately short-term, and that the real issue is fair trade, when African people are able to sell their produce at a fair price globally, African _citizens_ will have enough money to invest in their own futures.

For God's sake, at least know what his position is before you pose at disagreeing with it. The Africa Commission's policy is that Aid is ultimately short-term, and that the real issue is fair trade, when African people are able to sell their produce at a fair price globally, African _citizens_ will have enough money to invest in their own futures.

They've been getting aid for 40 years; it's only short term in writing, especially since most African governments wouldn't be willing to give up their debt-free slush fund in order to actually solve problems.

I'll start supporting Africa when the Africans stop killing eachother.

For God's sake, at least know what his position is before you pose at disagreeing with it. The Africa Commission's policy is that Aid is ultimately short-term, and that the real issue is fair trade, when African people are able to sell their produce at a fair price globally, African _citizens_ will have enough money to invest in their own futures.

Of course, heavily subsidized European, American, and Japanese (and even to a certain extent South American) agriculture assures that this will never happen. Aid is an excuse for developed countries to behave badly.