Our class discussions today generated some lively debate, so I wanted to provide a forum in which you can argue rather more informally and personally than you would be able to do in academic writing:
Could stopping all aid to Africa actually help end poverty?
"Discussion" guidelines:
- Add your COMMENTS to this blog; DO NOT post a new blog - any blogs will be deleted. Click on Comments at the end of this blog and type your contribution.
- Log into the blog frequently, read the new threads and add your comments. PLEASE KEEP YOUR COMMENTS BRIEF - this is a discussion, so take turns.
- Feel free to disagree with others and try to prove them wrong using the results of the WebQuest research. You may respond directly to other bloggers by name.
- The teacher will moderate this discussion, encouraging more explanation or argument where necessary.
- This is a practice discussion and is unassessed. However, the next discussion WILL be assessed, so you should participate now in order to understand what is required.
THIS DISCUSSION WILL BE OPEN FROM 23rd-30th NOVEMBER
Happy debating!
22 comments:
Who will be brave and start off the debate...? :=)
Before I read about President of Niger refusing the food aid, I used to think that aid is a very crucial aspect. But now, I agree with the President of Niger. He points out how there is no decrease in the number of deaths when the food aid is given. It seems very cruel and inhuman to stop all the food but Africa being self-sufficient in the long term is more important. And stopping/decreasing the food aid is a part of this solution. Anybody disagree?
I agree. But, more important to point out that there is no need to argue that Africa is in need of aid. However, the thing which should be the main argument is the type and amount of the aid supplied for Africa because the people in Africa who live on less than 1-2$ a day, do not really need cash actually. They need to have or gain sufficient needs to survive. These are the basic needs like health and education services and access to clean food and water. Providing cash (e.g basic income) or job opportunities would be the second step of the solution.
Moreover, as already stated in the articles, too much aid cause people become lazy and dependent and can result with slavery and colonialism.
This is a point that noone can't disagree.The results support it ,it seems cruel to stop the food aid, because of the fact that giving what they need and creating lazy citizens is cruel.We all know that hundreds of people die starving in africa eventhough they are getting help.This might show some light for the donors to change the aid type in to the things Africans need more than money.These are definetely opportunities of health education.If they have a chance to work and earn their own lives instead of living in pain, they will have a bigger chance to survive.
I think most of us share same ideas about the subject. There are many strong reasons to stop sending food aid to Africa because this state causes that people are getting dependent on aid donors and they are accepting their poverty and weakness with waiting prepared needs instead of struggling to develop by producing their own. There should be fundamental solutions like investing in agricultural projects to encourage them to work and gain their superiority on developping with supplying them well-covered education. But those projects are going to take definite time and while they're adapting how can people alive without any food aid in Africa?
I think,stopping all aids taht give Africa is not solution.They need these aids.If they don't take aids,they will may die.But aids don't help to develop their countries.Other alternatives should be thought.We shouldn't encourage African's brain drain.Production that thay take other countries decrease their productions etc.Basic needs such as water,medicine etc. keep them alive.Because they must manage disasters and diseases.So other people continue helping them.
I disagree the idea of stopping all aid to Africa.Because,ı think that Africa has a need of aid.Their living conditions aren't suitable,they don't provide food in any sources.They don't supply their basic needs.Such as;health.They have to war with diseases,but through the indelicate living conditions,it's impossible.There are varible solutions ways to these problems.But the most important think is,Africans don't know how to survive them from the poverty.
I think the aid to Africa shouldn't stop. There must be other helps except food and health. I think except these they have to open new schools and they must start to give education to the children. Without education aid, Africa won't be a better place ever.
In my opinion, providing basic needs is very important and this should be first step for Africa. Even when you are hungry in daily life, you can't think anything except food. If we want Africa to produce and stand on their own, they should have basic needs and after this, they start to develop and produce. By implementing basic needs and producing is the solution for Africa. As it mentioned in Chinese proverb that you shouldn't give the fish, you should teach how to catch the fish
I think aid shouldn't be stopped absolutely, because we read and saw that they are in the very difficult position now. People in Africa have to war a lot of problems. There are many trouble. These are diseases, hunger, poverty etc. In this stuation when they die from hunger, we can't stop aid. Maybe this aid won't provide that Africa improwe but at least people will die from hunger.
Koray, your mention of that proverb seems very relevant and I agree totally, but unfortunately Africans are caught between two extremes: on the one hand, they need continued aid just to survive - and I mean survive, not thrive - but on the other hand, food aid is little more than a handout with no provision for them to "catch their own fish." It is a catch-22 situation.
Zeynep, can we really trust a leader who is willing to sacrifice his own people to slow and painful death from starvation? He may be right about his figures, and I suspect he is, but can this justify disregarding suffering people in the (uknown) period it would take for the country to develop?
Perhaps we should all put ourselves in a starving person's shoes for a moment. Wouldn't we just want the next mouthful of food, regardless of where it is coming from?
I think stopping all aid to Africa will is harmful for them. Because millions of people are died hunger, poverty, AIDS and people who live are suffering. However, only food aids are not sufficient, If we provide education, trade possibility and agricultural machinery. these may solve hunger and poverty. Of course goverment of Africa must be more sensitive about this issue.
many of us agree that all aid to Africa should not stop..We wrote many reasons abaut the subject. but i want to mention abaut something should be changed. Africa is in need of radical changes based on political and managerial. If western colonizations are not stopped, Africa will never walk on their feet.Long term permanent solutions should be found and effectuated..
How can a personthink that we should stop ALL(!) aid to Africa.There is nothing more cruel than this attitude.If all aid is stopped,many people will die in a short time.I agree with Koray.Giving basic needs and helping them to learn how to stand alone is the best solution. In this case, they will be encouraged to do improvements.Finally, stopping all aid is never a solution.
I think there are more important things than aid. The most important issue is giving the sources Africans. They would change their destiny with their landed sources.
I think that the aid to Africa is really necessary in order to create the opportunity for higly remarkable education and health. MOreover aid can assist people to survive by providing food, shelter and basic needs.However we realize that because of the aid, Africa becomes dependent on Europe and it loses its own prosperity by turning out being slavery like. Therefore I want to ask a question what might be the other solutions that prevent poverty and do not cause colonialism?
aid doesn't seem good for africans. If countries give aid every time, africans don't do something to develop their country. So other contries which developed better than others should give funds for africans, to do somethings their own desicions so if it completes good. they can determine their fate good or bad.
I cant belive that almost every body is saying Africa needs help but we shouldnt help them. If we aid to them they become worse. This is a very interesting!situation.
In my opinion there should be a rule that every one must give a tax about 1000$ per a yaer to Affica to keep them alive until they laern how to live well
ı am egree with hakan gürsan in my opinon They would change their destiny with their landed sources
Africa need lots of thing they live hunger limited and every they too many people die because of diseases. But we shouldn't forget they did many mistake to support their elite class. Their ruling elites have billion dollars but they don't give assistance to their citizens.
We try to solve their problems but this solution never continue too many years
I agree Zeynep. President of Niger is a brave and realistic man. But i agree Koray too. They need help because being hunger is the most important thing may be. But I also think that countries who help them must not be Westerns. Everybody knows that Westerns help Africa because they want to seen as innocent. But they use their golds, diamonds and children. African children work at toy factories but they never own those toys. They have never helped African countries who ''trust their own future''. They never helped Africans who wants freedom. Africans should join anti-imperialist countries. By the way I agree Göktuğ. Ruling elite cause problems.
By the way Africa needs a great breakthru and they have to be pioneers.
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