As I mentioned we trade with the rich parts of the world, and trade benefits those economies. I saw China back in the 1970s when it was poor under communism. People like to assign credit for China's boom to capitalism, but I doubt it. That is a conversation for another day.
What is clear to me is foreign aid does not achieve the stated goals. Neither state programs nor "charities" get the job done. What does do the trick is freedom to do business, something the lack of which correlates relentlessly with poverty.
That is not to say the starving people, for whatever reason, do not need immediate aid. We are all for that. But freedom to do business is what keeps people from starving in the first place. Michael Maren's book the Road to Hell is an excellent place to start if you are interested in this topic.
Here is a rough outline of trade from USA perspective:
Exporting: Taking money from poor people overseas and giving it to rich people in USA.
Importing: Taking money from rich people in USA and giving it to poor people overseas.
On the exporting side it is true of big business deals, but not the small business exporters. Otherwise, that is largely how things go.
We can complain or hope the right person gets in office or whatever to make things better, and good luck with that. In the meantime we can get trading.
Feel free to forward this by email to three of your friends.
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