Sometimes the BBC sets up interviews in such a way that whatever they go, the BBC view prevails. Take this discussion on the British overseas aid budget. As you know, the Coalition has taken the decision (wrongly in my view) to ring-fence the currently £8bn a year budget. It has, however, decided not to waste our cash on rich countries like China and Brazil. Cue faux BBC outrage and a liberal brought on to allege the “securitisation” of UK overseas aid. I wonder if the BBC would care to bring on Dambisa Moyo who argues some very interesting views on the dangers of overseas aid? The BBC adopts a paternalistic approach to aid, and the idea of a well educated African born woman suggesting that Aid is counter-productive would probably blow their minds.
AIDING POVERTY…
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I would rather that we stopped dishing out all aid money. There seems to be a belief in all reporting on aid; and in those adverts by ‘charities’; that the recipients are somehow hanging in mid-air with no one else around. These are citizens of other countries, which have governments. Until countries are allowed to look after themselves, then nothing is going to change. This might sound callous but in the long run it is the only way to ensure the third world countries actually function normally. Continually making other peoples problems our problems does nothing constructive; it makes people like me resentful at the waste of my money and it makes the recipient countries resentful at being seen as beggars. On the other hand, buying things from poor countries would be a good start – then they’d have to produce something that we want. Does this make sense?
Makes a hell of a lot of sense, John, so don’t expect it any time soon from the idiots currently in power. Even if we had money, why would we give it to India, a country with a mix of very rich and very, very poor admittedly. But they have a large standing army, air force and navy, a space programme and nuclear weapons, ….oh yes and Patchaudi or whatever, the AGW worshipper.
Mukesh Ambani and Lakshmi Mittal are fourth and fifth respectively on the Forbes list of the world’s wealthiest individuals. Due to its huge population, India has the largest middle class of any country in the world. That country has embraced the principles of the free market economy and has thrived, if I were Prof. Niall Ferguson, I would say it were a legacy of the British Empire. Ferguson, with his formidable intellect, has not ever to my recollection ever graced the airwaves of the Beeb, as he’s a white bastard apologist for colonialism and imperialism. If Dambisa Moyo did the “Africans have suffered at the hands of the white man for centuries” routine, she’d be a regular fixture on Today, Newsnight and Question Time. She doesn’t fit the victim narrative the corporation so loves to promote.
BBC delenda est.
Foxy,
The BBC only do Left-wing historians like the ludicrous Schama.
I see the bBC have knocked yet another Aid to Paksitan is sacrosanct article.
How UK overseas aid aims to beat terrorism
Yup poor little mamzer, his place at school is paid for by the British taxpayer so he doesn’t become a …terrorist. Thing is he is more likley to become a terororist by being aleinated by his so called school friends for been poor. Yup in Pakistan poor people are treated like lepers Its a trait very common in the Islamic world. Something any bBC reporter in those lands would know about.
And: excellent! – British taxpayers also pay for this:
“BBC Urdu Brings Cricket World Cup News to Mobile Phones Across Pakistan”
http://www.newsonnews.net/radio/7664-bbc-urdu-brings-cricket-world-cup-news-to-mobile-phones-across-pakistan.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+newsonnews%2Fworldradio+%28News+on+Radio+-+World+Radio%29
This one’s a win-win for the droids.
Because not only are the (nasty) Tories not giving enough aid to the third world, the nasty Torries are giving too much !!!!!!
I have personal experience of the waste of aid in West Africa and the uselessness of most NGOs there.
Also , I know educated Africans there who believe that aid actually makes the problem worse.
A good topic for a BBC documentary.