Why we lie about aid: development and the messy politics of change

摘要

Do we lie about aid? Absolutely, and reading Why we lie about aid: development and the messy politics of change will explain both how and why. But do we also lie about development, delinking it from its noble history of cross-border helping, rebuilding and alliances as well as from its ignoble history of slavery, colonialism and exploitation? The main argument in this book is that development requires fundamental changes, indeed transformations, and that these can be catalysed by foreign aid, yet doing so produces a highly contentious moral politics. These claims are linked to a secondary argument that 'we' lie about aid because no one with skin in the game benefits from acknowledging its genuinely risky nature. Yanguas himself is part of the 'aid ecosystem' (p. 38) grown by donors around their aid agencies. Hence, he has considerable experience and investment in the cause of 'humane internationalism' for which he lobbies here. The book argues that donors can and should take sides for development transformation, acting on what is morally right. The case-studies on the Sierra Leone Anti-Corruption Commission, a large donor governance reform programme in Liberia and the development of a poverty reduction strategy in Honduras provide a fetching narrative from inside the aid world.