The White Man's Burden - some thoughts on Easterly's work

William Easterly's White Man's Burden is really interesting and focuses on the reasons why two trillion dollars in aid over the last fifty years from the West to the 2/3 world has not helped the 2/3 world very much and in many cases has created political upheaval, economic instability and chaos in general. He posits many ideas, but three of the most prominent are: 1) economies develop step-by-step and not from a top down plan 2) all aid given should have a specific, measurable purpose and there must be accountability to have achieved the goal for which it was given, else more money should not be given 3) solutions should be found in dialogue with the people being served - the West should not project its expectations or desires on the 2/3 world and then set out to make them like itself. Particularly fascinating is his insinuation that liberals typically miss the boat because they feel pity for economically developing countries and tend to throw money at the situation to make themselves feel better and that conservatives miss the boat because they assume that military intervention, democratic government, and Western morality will change the situation. His stress on the need for genuine relationship is refreshing, and his assertion that to be truly helpful the West must serve the people of the 2/3 world by asking them what would help them and delivering it (instead of seeing where their systems aren't up to par with ours and rushing in to provide money and planning to upgrade). Instead of looking at the 2/3 world as a project, the West must treat them as people, as individuals with immense dignity who the West is given the opportunity to know and serve. Although Easterly's negative view of missions (equating Schall and Ricci with later economic imperialists is ridiculous) suggests that he lacks a Christian worldview, the inherent dignity that he sees in all people is commendable. Though not as powerful as the understanding that all people are created in God's image and thus have dignity and deserve respect on this basis regardless of their past, culture, or situation, Easterly is certainly on the right track.

I enjoyed reading the book and felt like I got a combined lesson in history and economics in the process. More than any other writer that I've read, it seems like Easterly is coming to grips with the reality that the West doesn't have all the answers but can be helpful as it truly becomes an other-oriented servant. Too often, Western leaders' worldviews are rife with humanism - they do not adequately understand the tendency of man toward sin and evil. As a result, they tend to propose that if we just have the right plan or enough aid that all of Africa or SE Asia or wherever will change and be just like us - which is in itself a very scary proposition. Genesis 6 is a helpful reminder of where humanity tends toward and keeps us from hoping ultimately in our plans. The West can and should help the 2/3 world economically, but it needs to do so with reasonable expectations (we can help but need to go in as listening servants) and a primary goal of building relationships.

I'm wondering how De Soto is going to expand on his premise and move toward meaningful application. I'm 80 pages in, but it seems like he is saying that property laws are the biggest part of the equation in developing capital, but such laws developed over hundreds of years in the West - fast integration doesn't seem possible to me in other places. Perhaps he'll address that soon.