White Man's Burden by William Easterly

[royalfan5]

I started reading this book by Easterly who was a world bank economist, and has written prior books on the subject of aid to developing countries. I am only a little bit in, but so far it is absolutely fascinating. He explores how and why the big aid plans don't work very well, while piecemeal efforts done by people on the ground are much more effective. It really interesting if you are into the subject.

[slickdawg]

So where does Brad Pitt fit in this?

[royalfan5]

So where does Brad Pitt fit in this?
I'm only about 1/4 of the way in. I sure he figures in a later chapter.

[royalfan5]

Seriously though folks, this is an absolutely brilliant book on it's subject matter.

[scaldeddawg]

I started reading this book by Easterly who was a world bank economist, and has written prior books on the subject of aid to developing countries. I am only a little bit in, but so far it is absolutely fascinating. He explores how and why the big aid plans don't work very well, while piecemeal efforts done by people on the ground are much more effective. It really interesting if you are into the subject.

Probably an analogy can be made for here, Post Hurricane. FEMA, Red Cross, Salvation Army, etc. got donations of millions, yet the people that have really helped have mostly been small church/religious organizations. Never heard much from FEMA (saw hundreds of trailers parked in a field rusting), Red Cross said I did not lose enough.

Another peeve of mine was the "donations" we received. Now I am probably gonna make someone mad, but there seemed to be a lot of "garbage dumping" from the rest of the country. "Hey hon, here's that orange and green sweater your mother gave me for Christmas. Let's donate this crap to those people down there."

Many people really did help, but many saw this as an opportunity to dump their garbage.

*soap box off*

[OklahomaTuba]

The Churches around the Tulsa area have gone above and beyond trying to help NOLA. I wouldn't be surprised if there aren't a few more good ol Baptists in that neck of the woods after the area gets back on its feet, if it ever does.

Sounds like a great book. Nice to see some ideas that don't include massive government spending which always seems to leads to corruption, mismanagement, etc.

[Scott D]

That mean you didn't like that orange and green sweater scalded? william favor was sure you were going to love it.

[scaldeddawg]

That mean you didn't like that orange and green sweater scalded? william favor was sure you were going to love it.

I'm wearing it now....... *Palmolive voice*

I would have (and still) would appreciate a hand more than money/handouts.

Then, I can GTFO of here. Move.

[Scott D]

*golf clap* there ya go ;)

[Jerk]

I don't know about white burden, but 'white guilt' will be the destruction of western civilisation. I was thinking about this today. because...I have alot of time to think and stuff...

Small example...

'Why were there more tanks at Waco than Mogodishu?'

A cutlic church in Texas burns down, scores killed, not many people cared. Many people said they deserved it, and the government used tanks. But to put an M1A1 Abrams main battle tank inside a somalia firefight and mow down those poor desperate souls would just be horrible, even if they were shooting at us with AK-47's and RPG's. So we send in light infantry and helo's, no armor, and 'Blackhawk Down' occurs. Now you can't question the Waco thing without being an 'extremist militia member', and as far as somalia, they're still fighting today because we didn't have the nutsac to finish the job. See the patern? You question the government: guilt...you're an extremist nutjob. You say we deal harshly with 3rd world militias blocking food aid, and again, guilt! You can't treat foriegn indigenous people that way.

Does this make sense to anyone?

[King Crimson]

I started reading this book by Easterly who was a world bank economist, and has written prior books on the subject of aid to developing countries. I am only a little bit in, but so far it is absolutely fascinating. He explores how and why the big aid plans don't work very well, while piecemeal efforts done by people on the ground are much more effective. It really interesting if you are into the subject.

does Walt Rostow's name and theory of economic development/stages toward modernization come into play in Easterly's book....i would guess it does under the heading of "big plans"--since it dictated much of US policy since teh Kennedy administration. seems from people i know, NGO's (Non-Governmental Org's) are the current strategy....though i'm mostly familiar with the media angle (access to means of communication and literacy being key components of "modernization" theorized). obviously with wireless and satellite telecomm, developing countries have an opportunity to leap frog a lot of costly infra-structure problems like telephone poles, wiring cities for cable, etc.

though it seems to be more effective in aspirations rather than practice.

[Sooner24]

I don't know about white burden, but 'white guilt' will be the destruction of western civilisation. I was thinking about this today. because...I have alot of time to think and stuff...

Small example...

'Why were there more tanks at Waco than Mogodishu?'

A cutlic church in Texas burns down, scores killed, not many people cared. Many people said they deserved it, and the government used tanks. But to put an M1A1 Abrams main battle tank inside a somalia firefight and mow down those poor desperate souls would just be horrible, even if they were shooting at us with AK-47's and RPG's. So we send in light infantry and helo's, no armor, and 'Blackhawk Down' occurs. Now you can't question the Waco thing without being an 'extremist militia member', and as far as somalia, they're still fighting today because we didn't have the nutsac to finish the job. See the patern? You question the government: guilt...you're an extremist nutjob. You say we deal harshly with 3rd world militias blocking food aid, and again, guilt! You can't treat foriegn indigenous people that way.

Does this make sense to anyone?


Texas has better roads. :texan:

[royalfan5]

does Walt Rostow's name and theory of economic development/stages toward modernization come into play in Easterly's book....i would guess it does under the heading of "big plans"--since it dictated much of US policy since teh Kennedy administration. seems from people i know, NGO's (Non-Governmental Org's) are the current strategy....though i'm mostly familiar with the media angle (access to means of communication and literacy being key components of "modernization" theorized). obviously with wireless and satellite telecomm, developing countries have an opportunity to leap frog a lot of costly infra-structure problems like telephone poles, wiring cities for cable, etc.

though it seems to be more effective in aspirations rather than practice.
There has been passing reference to Rostow so far, but he goes after current WB leader Jeffery Sachs hard. He also makes the point about Cell Phones and the internet being huge for helping play catch-up. He uses the former nation of Zaire(Republic of the Congo,now IIRC) as an example. There are well over a million cell phone users there, and it has helped market development. He has also spent a lot of time on hammering the point of sociatial trust and social capital being neccessary for democracy to take root. He also emphasizes that democracy is a bottom up process, and not a top down one That is something everyone should remember on nation building excursions.

[King Crimson]

He also emphasizes that democracy is a bottom up process, and not a top down one That is something everyone should remember on nation building excursions.

i agree.