Quote:
Originally Posted by Mynydd
Actually, corruption is one factor. But not the main factor why aid is unsuccessful. The main factor is the people themselves. They have proved consistently hopeless to even help themselves.
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They are helpless -- which is one big reason why they're in the predicament they are in. And partly why they are helpless is because of authoritarian government structures -- military rule, or civilian dictators (often masquerading as democracies), and a corrupt officialdom. So even if "humanitarian aid" does arrive (and it's usually just a drop in the bucket), it gets siphoned off by the dictator and his cronies and/or crooked officials. What little is that left for distribution usually goes to favored people (since governance is along patron-client lines).
But to clarify my position, people have to stand up and fight for themselves. Call it cultural Darwinism if you will. Even if we wanted to, we can't help those who aren't willing to stand up and fight for themselves.