So Now We Must Legally Give Aid To Foriegn Contries??

[ToraToraTora]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-31809075
What is going on in this country? Natiol debt off te scale nd we giving dosh to foriegners! YCMIU!

[Bazile]

Dont worry about it you all

It's all in the master plan .

Throw them a few scraps now and in a few years time we will be able to take advantage of their unreserved gratitude - i.e british companies will be able to roll in and nick ( sorry sign some very advantageous contracts ) for their natural resources

It's called altruism - dont ya know

[New Judge]

The trouble is, baz, that we've already been to India and apparently nicked all their resources (and built a few roads, railways and hospitals and provided that country with a decent criminal justice system whilst we were there). They threw us out but we're still paying them.

I think, hypo and svejk, the term you refer to (“foreign aid being a method of transferring money from poor people in rich countries to rich people in poor countries)" was first coined by Hungarian-born economist Peter (later Lord) Bauer. He argued that foreign aid simply exacerbates a nation’s poverty by placing cash in the hands of (to put it politely) inept governments. Companies then have to vie for this cash (often corruptly) and this diverts them away from developing their businesses via the markets.

Lord Bauer's musings make interesting reading but it seems nobody in government in reccent years has taken the time to digest them.