Does giving international aid sometimes cause more harm than good?
This post was written by a student. It has not been fact checked or edited.
I believe that international aid is a vital tool for global equality but it currently carries a high risk of doing more harm than good. Whether aid is helpful or hurtful depends entirely on how it is delivered and whether it respects the self reliance of the receiving nation.
One major way aid causes harm is through market displacement. It is a fact that when rich countries send massive amounts of free food or clothing to a developing nation, it can destroy the local economy. For example, if free rice is flooded into a market, local farmers cannot sell their crops. Over time, these farmers go out of business leaving the country unable to feed itself. This creates dependency when the country relies on gifts more than growth.
On the other hand, aid is essential during humanitarian crisis like natural disasters and wars. In these moments immediate help saves lives. The good version of aid focuses on building infrastructure like building schools and hospitals which gives people the tools to improve their own lives in the long term.
Our goal should be a shared future where aid is no longer needed because every nation has become strong and independent.
signing off: fair minded elephant
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