Educated people, especially educated white people, seem to feel good about themselves when they “show compassion” and heap financial aid on the poor, especially if the poor are people of color. Never mind that the so-called good intentions usually hurt the people receiving the aid in the long run. Bwana may feel good, but Bwana actually hurts people. Look at what Swedish economist Fredrik Erixon recently pointed out on the effects of aid to Africa:
Africa received over $400 billion in aid between 1970 and 2000. Yet, the evidence
presented in the study shows an inverse relationship between aid and economic growth – when aid rises, growth falls. In part, this is because aid supplants private-sector investment and undermines savings: there is also an inverse relationship between savings and aid – when aid increases, saving decreases.
~ Business Reform Magazine, Sept/Oct 2005
