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The Road to Hell: The Ravaging Effects of Foreign Aid and International Charity Hardcover – January 14, 1997
| Michael Maren (Author) Find all the books, read about the author, and more. See search results for this author |
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We all want to end the suffering. But our desire to alleviate suffering often stands in the way of the truth. If you think your charitable giving is making the Third World a better place, think again.
- Print length320 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherFree Press
- Publication dateJanuary 14, 1997
- Dimensions6.5 x 1 x 9.75 inches
- ISBN-100684828006
- ISBN-13978-0684828008
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Product details
- Publisher : Free Press (January 14, 1997)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 320 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0684828006
- ISBN-13 : 978-0684828008
- Item Weight : 1.28 pounds
- Dimensions : 6.5 x 1 x 9.75 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #2,311,052 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,283 in War & Peace (Books)
- #2,026 in Development & Growth Economics (Books)
- #2,957 in African Politics
- Customer Reviews:
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Basically, when we provide food to African nations, much of it is stolen and used to build the wealth and power of whatever dictator is ruling at the time. Efforts to help local people grow their own food are often stopped, because the power base of the dictator would be reduced if people could grow their own food rather than depending on the dictator to provide it.
The resulting suffering, wars, and corruption cannot be blamed entirely on evil African dictators. In fact, if I were to apportion blame based on the material in this book, most of it would fall on American grain merchants and the politicians who aid them. And some of the blame goes to the aid agencies who know this is the way the game is played, and say nothing so they can have a small piece of the corruption pie.
American farmers see a pittance of the money made by the excess grain they grow. When extra grain is sent to foreign nations, or bought with Food Stamps in America, it's the American taxpayer and farmers who lose out. Who does get rich? The money goes into the pockets of corporations like A. C. Toepfer, Continental Grain, Interstate Grain, Cargill, Ferruzzi Trading, Matsui, Richo Grain Limited, Archer Daniels Midland, Louis Drefus, and Mitsubishi (page 191).
These corporate parasites continue to suck on the public wealth by promoting ethanol, which according to the Department of Energy, takes more energy to make than it contains (see Chapter 11, Pigs at a Trough or Patzek "Ethanol from Corn: Clean Renewable Fuel for the Future, or Drain on Our Resources and Pockets?" [...] )
This is an important book, one that ought to be read to understand how the grain industry ought to be reformed in America, and how aid agencies affect the economies and politics of African nations.
This book is hard to put down. The stories it tells are very interesting and passionately written.
the subject is one that really interests me and my travels abroad
