March 31, 2006
The white economist's burden
Today's Economist has a fairly positive review of William Easterly's book 'The White Man's Burden: Why the West's Efforts to Aid the Rest Have Done So Much Ill and So Little Good', which I'm still keen to get my hands on. It's hidden behind a subscription barrier, so here's the punch line:
Mr Easterly admits to feeling some compunctions about rubbishing a world in which he himself has spent much of his career, but it doesn't show. He is merciless and witty, damning the aid industry with its own words by quoting its past, broken promises back to it. His book is written more in wry bemusement than in anger, but perhaps anger is the more appropriate response. Certainly this reviewer felt a rising sense of frustration at the aid institutions, encamped on the high moral ground, with their eyes fixed on a distant horizon, all as an escape from taking a long hard look at themselves.
Posted by aheavens at March 31, 2006 4:53 PM
Comments
Hi Andrew,
There is a new novel out about Ethiopia by a canadian lady. It is called "Sweetness in the Belly" and it got great reviews in Cananda and the US.
You might like it.
Posted by: Safiya at March 31, 2006 6:16 PM
Andrew,
The white economist needs to have broad shoulders or a good therapist.
Posted by: Mamitu Geremew at April 1, 2006 5:31 PM
If only we could get our hands on one of those pesky white european male aid-workers who are causing all the problems.
Posted by: wonderchops at April 3, 2006 7:32 AM
Everyone seems to know what the Aid INDUSTRY suffers from- and as any other ORGANisation it has the need for self-perpetuation. So how do we break this need for careerism and trophy hunting in the NGO world? Give NGO workers a way out by offering mid-career retraining and shift into a willing industry (eg Politics)? Obligatory retraining even- like demobing an army?
Posted by: Dina at April 4, 2006 1:34 PM