http://donklephant.com/2005/09/27/african-fiasco/ Big Teeth. Huge Ass. Surprisingly Reasonable. Sun, 08 Nov 2009 23:59:03 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 http://donklephant.com/2005/09/27/african-fiasco/comment-page-1/#comment-2551 DosPeros Wed, 28 Sep 2005 16:56:36 +0000 http://donklephant.com/?p=960#comment-2551 Jim-That is basically Scroggins take on the situation. Basically: The West is incapable of looking at Africa without seeing its own historically grotesqe reflection and is thus prompted to "fix" the situation. Everytime we try to fix Africa we only perpetuate some fundamental problems -- like tribalism and the use of food, water, medicine and children slaves as inter-tribal war currency. Jim-That is basically Scroggins take on the situation. Basically: The West is incapable of looking at Africa without seeing its own historically grotesqe reflection and is thus prompted to “fix” the situation. Everytime we try to fix Africa we only perpetuate some fundamental problems — like tribalism and the use of food, water, medicine and children slaves as inter-tribal war currency.

]]> http://donklephant.com/2005/09/27/african-fiasco/comment-page-1/#comment-2546 Jim Wed, 28 Sep 2005 15:44:02 +0000 http://donklephant.com/?p=960#comment-2546 Abiola Lapite deals with this issue on a rgular basis over at his blog. You get the impression that aid from rich countries is more about feeling charitable than about improving anyone's life. Also, as he popints out, aid actively holds these countries back, because it feeds corrupt elites and thus impedes the development of decent government in the area. Abiola Lapite deals with this issue on a rgular basis over at his blog. You get the impression that aid from rich countries is more about feeling charitable than about improving anyone’s life. Also, as he popints out, aid actively holds these countries back, because it feeds corrupt elites and thus impedes the development of decent government in the area.

]]> http://donklephant.com/2005/09/27/african-fiasco/comment-page-1/#comment-2545 DosPeros Wed, 28 Sep 2005 14:15:02 +0000 http://donklephant.com/?p=960#comment-2545 If anyone wants to read a great (and depressing) book about Africa, I have to suggest "Emma's War" by Deborah Scroggins. The book takes a hard and fascinating look at the psychology and reality of western aid to Africa. The book is centered around an English relief/aid worker who falls in love with one of the Sudanese rebel chiefs. If anyone wants to read a great (and depressing) book about Africa, I have to suggest “Emma’s War” by Deborah Scroggins. The book takes a hard and fascinating look at the psychology and reality of western aid to Africa. The book is centered around an English relief/aid worker who falls in love with one of the Sudanese rebel chiefs.

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