To use foreign aid is beneficial or harmful to the weak country?

Win ( Chul Min , Jang)
EAP2, Writer’s Workshop
Heidi Wright
October 5, 2007

Abstract

The topic of this paper is the argument about the desirability of the foreign aid. It argues that foreign aid gives the weak countries harms rather than benefits. There are three reasons for argument. The first is that foreign aid does not contribute substantially to economic strides in developing countries, and the second is that foreign aid presents the political and psychological harms. The third reason is that foreign aid enlarges the gap of power and influence between the strong countries and the weak countries.

To use foreign aid is beneficial or harmful to the weak country?

According to Tarnoff and Nowels (2004), “In 2004, the United States is providing some form of foreign assistance to about 150 countries. Israel and Egypt continue, as they have since the late 1970s, as the largest recipients, although Iraq, receiving over $20 billion for reconstruction activities since mid-2003, is the biggest recipient in FY 2004” (para.3). As in the above example, there is much foreign aid which means bilateral development assistance, humanitarian assistance, multilateral assistance and military assistance all over the world. That is to say, in these days, foreign aid is considered as natural and commonplace. However, while most people think foreign aid as favorable campaign, there are many harmful facts of foreign aid. Especially, it contains the problems concerning the politicians and psychology. Furthermore, it makes the gap of the economy and the strength bigger among the countries. Thus we have to check the disadvantages, and revise it.
Foreign aid is “aid, such as economic or military assistance, offered by one nation to another” (“Foreign aid”, n, para.2 ).”Foreign aid may be given in the form of capital transfers or technical assistance and training for either civilian or military purposes. Its use in the modern era began in the 18th century, when Prussia subsidized some of its allies. After World War II, foreign aid developed into a more sophisticated instrument of foreign policy. International organizations, such as the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration, were created to provide aid to war-ravaged countries and newly freed colonies” (“History of foreign aid”, n, para.2 ). In “In Recent Years” the author claims “In 2000, U.S. aid foreign aid amounted to $10billion (n, para ,1). Some people who agree on foreign aid say that because it offers the chance of the growth that it is a good campaign. On the other hand, other people claim “Because foreign aid eventually trespass the authority of the assisted countries. it is not good campaign” (“The Role of Foreign Aid in Development”, 1997, para.8 ). However, despite the merits of foreign aid, there are many disadvantages.
The primary reason is that foreign aid does not contribute significantly to economic progress in developing countries. Aid that is intended to increase development may enable some regimes to divert money to other, nonproductive activities (“The Role of Foreign Aid in Development”, 1997, para.8 ). In other words, finance, money, and a lot of aids for economic growth are used to increase the private wealth for the specific people such as the governor. From the past to now on these phenomena have taken place throughout all over the world, especially in the developing countries. Thus, aid is wasted in countries that do not have the technical or administrative ability to absorb and use it properly. Furthermore, in case of the infrastructure projects, for example electricity, road and plant, if foreign aid is mainly focused on such as things, most of all people who need food and beverage will have lot’s of mistrust the government and foreign aid. As above examples, foreign aid brings about unbeneficial results such as the corruption and disbelief.
Moreover, foreign aid often gives the developing countries the political disadvantage and psychological harms. Baurer (1997) argued that aid has serious, distorting consequences in the political life of recipient countries. Aid is generally transferred to the government of those countries, which tends to increase the government’s power. In other words, the countries that furnish the foreign aid to the developing and the weak countries want to possess the strong influences on the poor and the developing countries. That is to say, the purpose of the foreign aid is used to invade the sovereignty of the weak countries regardless of the original pursuit of the foreign assistances. Furthermore, foreign aid is able to make the citizens of the weak countries lose their root life. In other words, foreign aid is not totally economical assistance and help. That is to say, not only substantial aid but also psychological attitude, mind and culture is obviously introduced. In this time people living in the poor country will experience the chaos of psychology because they will use the cultures and habits which are mixed between their own cultures and assistant countries’ culture. As the result, this implies that the weak and developing countries will be colonized by the countries which present help. On account of trespass of the sovereignty and disturbance of the culture, foreign aid is not beneficial,
Finally, foreign aid makes the developed countries stronger. From the past days to these days, several strong countries have overwhelmed all over the world in terms of politics, culture and economy. It involves the inequality of the power. In other words, due to foreign aid, the inequality will be bigger. Nowdays, many developed and strong countries are competing about helping the poor and the weak countries. However, the countries which assisted weak countries want to receive the resources and raw materials of the assisted countries more than things which they already gave to the poor countries. To be specific, in these days, assistant countries desire to obtain a lot of natural resources and the rights which they can exploit and used to do business without interference of the other countries’. Due to foreign aid, the stronger the powerful countries are, the weaker the poor are. That is to say, foreign aid is just fake help. As the result of the foreign aid, the gap of economic power and political influence is centered a few strong countries.
Opponents of resisting foreign aid claim that foreign aid creates many jobs. However, this claim is not regarded as the beneficial results. For example, in the weak country, the company that is made by assistant country merely uses workforce by paying very cheap salary. Then, the owner of the company sends the enormous proceeds to his own country. In other words, even though the company has made enormous profits, they do not utilize the money for the weak countries that the strong company already invested. It is same as if the weak countries are robbed of workforce by the strong countries. For this robbery of the workforce, foreign aid makes weak countries poorer.
In conclusion, foreign aid gives the disadvantages and harmful results rather than goodwill benefits. Most of all, foreign aid involves corruption and mistrust. Moreover, in terms of the political and psychological aspects, it bring about many harm. Finally, foreign aid makes the gap between the strong and the weak countries bigger. Sometimes, there are admirers of foreign aid. However, through the above examples of foreign aid, we can understand that the harm and
disadvantages are more than benefits. Thus, the strong countries have to stop assisting the weak countries.

References

Dictionary of foreign aid terms. (n,d). U.S History Dictionary. Retrieved September 22, 2007, from www.answers.com/topic/foreign-aid

Peter, B. (1997, June). New IPN study shows foreign aid does more harm than good. Retrieved September, 23, 2007 from www.policynetwork.net/main/press_release.php?pr_id=64

In recent years.(n,para.1). foreign aid: In Recent Years Retrieved September
25,2007 from www.infoplease.com/ce6/hostory/A0858182.html

The history of foreign aid. (n,d). Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Retrieved September 22, 2007, from www.answers.com/library/Britannica%20Concise%20Encyclopedia-cid-663795387

The role of foreign aid in development. (1997, May, 23). The Flow of Foreign Aid and Private Capital to Developing Countries. Retrieved September 23, 2007 from www.cbo.gov/ftpdoc.cfm?index=8&type=0&sequence=3

Tarnoff, C., & Nowels L.(2004, April 15). Foreign Aid: An Introductory Overview of U.S. Programsand policy 35(2), 15-18 Retrieved September 23,
from usinfo.state.gov/usa/infousa/trade/foreignaid/22168.pdf