|
RealityLicks -> RE: Reparations who deserves it more? (10/28/2007 8:25:42 AM)
|
The G8 did cancel $40bn of debt in 2005 - note, dollars not sterling. The package was a start but it affected only the 20 poorest countries, while a further 60 are in immediate need. Now does £20 billion quid among twenty countries sound like a lot to you? Compared to say, Trident or a space program? What's more there are strings attached with the IMF interfering in what the money gained can be spent on. But all of that is just part of the whole. The real need is to allow developing nations to compete and make their own money and not rely on handouts. At present they can't do this because of restrictive practices and unfair trade policies originating in - you guessed it, the G8 countries.
Suez? Your grasp of history is sorely lacking, Politesub. Visit the British Museum and ask yourself how the Benin bronzes and the Gold of the Ashanti came to be there, neither country is anywhere near Sudan. Hint: the Brits never asked nicely. Now ask where the wealth to build the Suez Canal in the first place came from. But again, all that is just a small part of it, no-one wants to eat works of art.
As for the obesity thing; what is it, glandular? Haven't you heard, its a global economy. Subsidies to farmers here, taken from your taxes, btw are used to flood foreign markets, destroying their own growers capacity to compete. That creates dependence, once that sets in the prices go up, people starve and as a gesture of "kindness" are given aid, which creates more debt. And more profit.
Ghana's decision to invest in Aluminium production, what with its rich bauxite deposits was encouraged so that the country would buy the engineering expertise of the plant to smelt it. When they came to market, stockpiles had been built up and the prices driven down, resulting in economic ruin for their people and the hocking those same natural resources to the West. What happens next? The prices return to normal.
There are hundreds of horror stories of the ways in which the need for global capital to endlessly return profits year after year, come what may impacts on the worlds' poor. I'm sure in your heart of hearts you know thats true. Without long-range economic clout or an out break of ethical behaviour in London, Bonn and Wall Street, nothing will change. Its a red herring to blame the leadership in Africa. Vile as many of them are, their hands are tied - they are usually placemen for foreign powers ruling the region as pro-consuls. Of course corruption ensues - they have no real power except to steal.
Don't be defensive, there's no need, no-one's attacking you (except your own Government, attacking your apathy and creating fear of a future where we don't exploit people).
Just hope the tea in that mug is Fair Trade!
|
|
|
|
