{"items": [{"author": "David German", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/111229345142780712481", "anchor": "gp-1333719246227", "service": "gp", "text": "Thanks for the transcript!", "timestamp": 1333719246}, {"author": "nawitus", "source_link": "http://www.reddit.com/r/philosophy/comments/rw6ol#c495kwt", "anchor": "r-c495kwt", "service": "r", "text": "Contemporary aid seems to be very bad, even to the point of having negative utility. I think the best way to help Africa is capitalism, and that can be intensified by buying products and services directly from Africa. Why is capitalism the best way? Because the problem is not "lack of food", it's Africa's inability to compete in the global market. That's changing though.\n\n
Take China for example. Wages are increasing 10% every year inflation adjusted, and this is true for the workers too. Slowly workers will demand better working conditions instead of higher wages. Wealthier middle-class will also push for democratic reforms. Yes, there are problems in the beginning, like bad working conditions. But living in poverty also has problems, probably even more, since people aren't actually forced to move from the farms to work in factories, it's a choice (on average). In any case, economic growth is the true solution to poverty.\n", "timestamp": 1333719487}, {"author": "cbr", "source_link": "http://www.reddit.com/r/philosophy/comments/rw6ol#c495vgj", "anchor": "r-c495vgj", "service": "r", "text": "→ Shikwati seems to be arguing against misguided government aid, and the charities that Singer supports, such as Oxfam, agree.\n\n
This isn't an argument against giving to effective charities that can prove their positive impact GiveWell-style.\n\n
(Disclaimer: I mod r/smartgiving where charity evaluation is a big thing.)\n", "timestamp": 1333721464}, {"author": "nawitus", "source_link": "http://www.reddit.com/r/philosophy/comments/rw6ol#c4961cj", "anchor": "r-c4961cj", "service": "r", "text": "→ → I agree, donating to effective charities is better than doing nothing, but in the long run, I think it would be even more effective by directly supporting the African economy.\n", "timestamp": 1333722476}, {"author": "cbr", "source_link": "http://www.reddit.com/r/philosophy/comments/rw6ol#c4962iu", "anchor": "r-c4962iu", "service": "r", "text": "→ → → What does "directly supporting the African economy" entail?\n", "timestamp": 1333722664}, {"author": "nawitus", "source_link": "http://www.reddit.com/r/philosophy/comments/rw6ol#c496pix", "anchor": "r-c496pix", "service": "r", "text": "→ → → → You directly buy products and/or services from Africa. It will boost African economy and "create jobs" (I hate that phrase but people seem to like job creation). One example in the media would be buying sculptures hand-made in Africa. Of course, you can buy other kinds of products. The tech industry might be booming slowly in Africa, so pretty soon you can buy high tech gadgets from there too.\n", "timestamp": 1333726222}, {"author": "cbr", "source_link": "http://www.reddit.com/r/philosophy/comments/rw6ol#c496s10", "anchor": "r-c496s10", "service": "r", "text": "→ → → → → At least currently this seems to be things I wouldn't buy otherwise. So does this actually do better than just sending money to individuals? That way there's no retail middlemen, no shipping, and a much greater fraction of my money ends up there.\n", "timestamp": 1333726595}, {"author": "nawitus", "source_link": "http://www.reddit.com/r/philosophy/comments/rw6ol#c497jm0", "anchor": "r-c497jm0", "service": "r", "text": "→ → → → → → Sending money directly to them is not a great way to help the African economy. It will be probably spent directly and not invested. Kiva is better, since you're helping Africans to invest the money.\n", "timestamp": 1333730701}, {"author": "phileconomicus", "source_link": "http://www.reddit.com/r/philosophy/comments/rw6ol#c4bcmvd", "anchor": "r-c4bcmvd", "service": "r", "text": "→ → → → Start with reforming international trade rules and laws that are unfair to African exporters. i.e. Political action. Not going out and buying cute African sculptures (Sorry - I know you mean well, Nawitus - but that's both patronising and futile)\n", "timestamp": 1334227473}, {"author": "Aaron", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/112426184612445292864", "anchor": "gp-1334092903598", "service": "gp", "text": "This is wonderful.", "timestamp": 1334092903}, {"author": "phileconomicus", "source_link": "http://www.reddit.com/r/philosophy/comments/rw6ol#c4bg1ke", "anchor": "r-c4bg1ke", "service": "r", "text": "Philosophically speaking, I thought Cowen ripped Singer to pieces. Maybe economists are just better at utilitarianism.....\n", "timestamp": 1334248874}, {"author": "Frederic", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/118156077148469167305", "anchor": "gp-1334792262598", "service": "gp", "text": "Heh, I meant to pass that along to you", "timestamp": 1334792262}]}