Who Pays?

I came across this a while ago. It poses a few questions…

http://maps.grida.no/go/graphic/current_and_potential_arable_land_use_in_africa

So you’re saying our hypothetical African villagers would rather live miles from water when there is land available right by the river because they are happier to ‘sponge off’ Western hand-outs? I’m sure you’re not.

With respect, the charity advert that you saw on TV is a gross oversimplification of the situation in Africa designed to pluck-the-heartstrings of those most susceptible to advertising and to hold out the promise that there is an easily solved problem that is just waiting for a small donation to solve it.

Africa, like anywhere else, has a background of politics, conflict, tribal division, religion, climate and a host of other factors to account for but if there was unoccupied fertile land do you not think our African water-carrying girl would be living on it? The truth is that some people in Africa get to live on the edge or not at all; I don’t see how moving the edge four-hours-walking-distance is actually going to help much.

I would imagine Warren, that the money we send, is not being directed to where it’s needed indeed, it begs the question, does it even get there?. As for why they don’t move themselves,if they did, it would most likely be that they would get less in financial support, because they would be self sufficient.

Do we send money to the Abbos in Aus?. I would imagine they are in the same boat.
Jim.

Lincoln. 7

…the amount we send as overseas aid could not move a whole village lock stock and barrels in a few days, nearer to the river…

It kind of begs the question if it is so simple why didn’t the African villagers think of it?

CD, Warren re your thread 9. There can be absolutely no comparison to the Commutors working in London, to the fact, that the amount we send as overseas aid could not move a whole village lock stock and barrels in a few days, nearer to the river, (As also seen on TV). Did “Bandaid” do much good with all the money raised then?. I see they are now asking for more.Any way, this thread is supposed to be about who pays. Off thread again.
Jim.

Lincoln .7

that is a rather poor comparison based on what is a ‘technicality.’

KabirT, please explain the word Technicality, in the context of my thread. Even the mass migration of animals such as the Wilderbeast travelling thousands of miles looking for food and water makes them look as more intelligent than us mere humans.
But your answere still doe’s not answere my question, and up sticks and move?.nearer to the water supply.
Jim.

Lincoln .7

I guess you were referring to CDs thread re everyone moving to London?.
Jim.
L7

Sorry you have had some sleepless nights Kev, and had I known, wouldn’t have singled you out as the best, I.M.H.O. person to answere the question.
I found Article 2 made for interesting thought,
Pearl Harbour Dec 7th 1941, and the agreement signed Feb 23rd 1942.They didn’t waste much time doing that!.
I pose the following question, if it had not been for Pearl Harbour,would the USA given it’s much needed help to us to fight the war in Europe?.
Not being a man of Kevs caliber when it comes to this sort of question, it would be interesting to know if they would or would not have, I.M.H.O. “Used” us for their own ends.
Whichever way one looks at it, their help was most welcome.
Jim.

Lincoln .7

that is a rather poor comparison based on what is a ‘technicality.’

I feel sorry for the small girl on TV who lives somewhere in Africa who has to fetch and carry water, 4 hrs out, 4 hrs back, would the money we send be better off moving their village nearer to the river, they could also then set up their own irrigation system to grow food, just a thought.

All of life expands to the edge of what is possible. About twenty-five years ago, during a rather heated pub discussion about aid to Africa, somebody asked me why digging a well in a village wouldn’t solve the problem? In a moment of cider-fuelled clarity I responded ‘because people would set-up home four-hours away and walk to collect water!’

It hadn’t really occurred to me until that moment that the ‘poor’ people of Africa operate under exactly the same ‘economic’ conditions that we do in this country, though without any social safety net. Land for crops and animals are their currency, and the weather their ‘boom or bust’; when times are good crops flourish and animals thrive, when times are bad crops fail and animals starve; but people starve too because there is no social safety net to rely on in the bad times.

Asking why a little girl walks four hours for water is like asking the millions who commute every day why they don’t move into London; the answer is that they can’t afford to so live as close as they can.

Don’t think from this that I am unsympathetic or that I do not believe in charity but the ‘poor’ of Africa aren’t stupid, they play to the same rules that we do, only their game is much harder on the losers.

Lincoln.

Due to the fact that I’ve barely slept in two days and the prospect of getting any sleep soon is negligible I’ll post you a couple of links which a nano-seconds googling uncovered…..

http://www.historyguy.com/worldwartwo/lend-lease.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lend-Lease

Regards,

kev35

Bazv I was just wondering, because I had heard the other day, we are sending even more of T,P.M for overseas aid. I feel sorry for the small girl on TV who lives somewhere in Africa who has to fetch and carry water, 4 hrs out, 4 hrs back, would the money we send be better off moving their village nearer to the river, they could also then set up their own irrigation system to grow food, just a thought.

Jim,

Lincoln .7

“…….. (unless humanitarian via UN)……”

Not even that. All the members fund the UN, so ultimately it is the taxpayers who pay for that as well.

Yep tax payers pay, but you also have to remember no nation (unless humanitarian via UN) helps out another country in any way unless it has a vested long or short-term interest in it. Be it oil, energy, political etc.

It is simple …we (the taxpayer) pay for it.
How many financial black holes are we currently running ??

ANY that ask for our help. I just want to know who picks up the tab at the end of the day.A (probably) simple question I would have thought, however it seems it’s not.
Jim.

Lincoln .7

what countries are you referring to?