I get a let's-be-generous feeling when I hear about poor and unfortunate people I think I would like. I get the opposite, niggardly feeling when I hear about equally poor and unfortunate people I'm pretty sure I wouldn't like. And these have nothing to do whether the people are from Katmandu or Kettering.
I realise that the British government can't base its Foreign Aid policy on guessing the kind of people I might like. I just wanted to say that there are positions not covered by 'charity begins at home', 'help everyone!' and 'Let the poor rot'.
I know we should all be happy that millions more of the world's poor have been saved but somehow my oxytocin levels refuse to budge. It's shameful, I know, but I feel like a man in a lifeboat being asked to celebrate the imminent arrival on board of 60 Albanians. Yippee.
I think if there were a finite number of humans on earth I would feel differently. But the number of people you can pack onto the earth's surface is, though not infinite, still very large and some people's goal in life appears to be to see just how many can be squeezed on before things go south.
I think it’s easier to get people to agree to spend money on *foreigners* when they see a direct benefit. For instance, I believe the U.S. should spend more money making sure Covid vaccines get distributed to more places around the world. I think that would be good for everyone, including the U.S. I’m also very much for helping the Ukrainian people, and a lot of that has to do with my not wanting to see Russia gain any more ground in Europe. I think that’s important to everyone, including the U.S.
But, I also give to individuals for a variety of reasons. Some things attract me more than others, and I can’t always explain why it’s one thing and not another.
"The sort of politically-minded people who consider themselves compassionate are never going to credit the Tory Party for doing the right thing, so there isn’t much political advantage to foreign aid spending — but then, who cares what those people think? The only person you have to look in the eye before you go to bed each night is yourself."
About 6 or 7 years ago I saw for sale in my local Oxfam shop a "join the dots" postcard with David Cameron's face on it - if you joined the dots in the correct order you would have scribbled all over his face as if you were furiously crossing him out.
I remember thinking at the time - Oxfam has campaigned for decades for the UK to raise it's foreign aid spending to 0.7% (as recommended by the UN), David Cameron delivered the policy Oxfam most wanted, and this is the thanks he gets!
However, I am a politically minded person who considers myself compassionate, and I did notice the 0.7% foreign aid policy and approve of it. At the time, I was left of centre (I voted for Jeremy Corbyn in both the 2015 and 2016 leadership contests). In 2019 I voted Conservative for the first time in both the local elections and the general election and also joined the Conservative Party! The left's reaction to the Brexit vote was the main catalyst. Not everyone on "the left" is living in a bubble like the people you see on Twitter or in the Guardian comment section.
I have left the Tory party now though, after being a member for three years. I'm not a fan of Liz Truss, and although I don't like Keir Starmer, or my local Labour MP, I wouldn't feel like it was the end of the world if Labour won the next election.
If the Tories really want to win the next election, I think they should replace Liz Truss with Kemi Badenoch. She's not stupid, and she comes across as more normal than some other Tory MPs.
I read somewhere that Africa has the fastest growing population. One of the reasons why the surplus is now ending up on our shores. It would appear we’re paying twice. Foreign aid, and now hotel bills and transport costs, courtesy of our naval taxi service.
As an Unconservative, I'll have no truck whatsoever with this re-hashed Jellybyism. The woeful lives of children in sub-Saharan Africa are not the responsibility of the British taxpayer, especially in view of the fact that the current young generation may struggle to even own their home in future. And, yes, these things are related.
I am opposed to making cuts in the International Aid budget if only because I want to see it abolished, completely and forever. Let our metropolitan liberals find a different canoe to paddle.
Aidan, are you trying to tempt Ed into saying something that would get him carted off to the gulag? Since you raise the subject, what do you feel about the connection between falling African mortality and the Most Important Graph in the World? Just neutral, scientific feelings?
Having no feelings either way strikes me as odder than being a blazing racist or an open borders Nazi. Kind of like an alien gazing disinterestedly down from an Olympian height at the funny humans far below.
I suppose what I want is that all these benefits are stamped "Gift of a former colonial power".
I searched Getty for British aid and there are no pics.
Want to see some nice pictures of handsome British soldiers smiling and handing out food!
I get a let's-be-generous feeling when I hear about poor and unfortunate people I think I would like. I get the opposite, niggardly feeling when I hear about equally poor and unfortunate people I'm pretty sure I wouldn't like. And these have nothing to do whether the people are from Katmandu or Kettering.
I realise that the British government can't base its Foreign Aid policy on guessing the kind of people I might like. I just wanted to say that there are positions not covered by 'charity begins at home', 'help everyone!' and 'Let the poor rot'.
I think each incident of international aid should have a specific, stated purpose and be evaluated based on whether the purpose is accomplished.
I know we should all be happy that millions more of the world's poor have been saved but somehow my oxytocin levels refuse to budge. It's shameful, I know, but I feel like a man in a lifeboat being asked to celebrate the imminent arrival on board of 60 Albanians. Yippee.
I think if there were a finite number of humans on earth I would feel differently. But the number of people you can pack onto the earth's surface is, though not infinite, still very large and some people's goal in life appears to be to see just how many can be squeezed on before things go south.
Birth rates in developing nations are falling, and some UK aid money goes towards things that have contributed to that, such as education for girls.
Thanks Mr W. Your article changed my mind.
oh wow, thank you!
I think it’s easier to get people to agree to spend money on *foreigners* when they see a direct benefit. For instance, I believe the U.S. should spend more money making sure Covid vaccines get distributed to more places around the world. I think that would be good for everyone, including the U.S. I’m also very much for helping the Ukrainian people, and a lot of that has to do with my not wanting to see Russia gain any more ground in Europe. I think that’s important to everyone, including the U.S.
But, I also give to individuals for a variety of reasons. Some things attract me more than others, and I can’t always explain why it’s one thing and not another.
Thanks, this sounds about right to me.
"The sort of politically-minded people who consider themselves compassionate are never going to credit the Tory Party for doing the right thing, so there isn’t much political advantage to foreign aid spending — but then, who cares what those people think? The only person you have to look in the eye before you go to bed each night is yourself."
About 6 or 7 years ago I saw for sale in my local Oxfam shop a "join the dots" postcard with David Cameron's face on it - if you joined the dots in the correct order you would have scribbled all over his face as if you were furiously crossing him out.
I remember thinking at the time - Oxfam has campaigned for decades for the UK to raise it's foreign aid spending to 0.7% (as recommended by the UN), David Cameron delivered the policy Oxfam most wanted, and this is the thanks he gets!
However, I am a politically minded person who considers myself compassionate, and I did notice the 0.7% foreign aid policy and approve of it. At the time, I was left of centre (I voted for Jeremy Corbyn in both the 2015 and 2016 leadership contests). In 2019 I voted Conservative for the first time in both the local elections and the general election and also joined the Conservative Party! The left's reaction to the Brexit vote was the main catalyst. Not everyone on "the left" is living in a bubble like the people you see on Twitter or in the Guardian comment section.
I have left the Tory party now though, after being a member for three years. I'm not a fan of Liz Truss, and although I don't like Keir Starmer, or my local Labour MP, I wouldn't feel like it was the end of the world if Labour won the next election.
If the Tories really want to win the next election, I think they should replace Liz Truss with Kemi Badenoch. She's not stupid, and she comes across as more normal than some other Tory MPs.
I read somewhere that Africa has the fastest growing population. One of the reasons why the surplus is now ending up on our shores. It would appear we’re paying twice. Foreign aid, and now hotel bills and transport costs, courtesy of our naval taxi service.
As an Unconservative, I'll have no truck whatsoever with this re-hashed Jellybyism. The woeful lives of children in sub-Saharan Africa are not the responsibility of the British taxpayer, especially in view of the fact that the current young generation may struggle to even own their home in future. And, yes, these things are related.
I am opposed to making cuts in the International Aid budget if only because I want to see it abolished, completely and forever. Let our metropolitan liberals find a different canoe to paddle.
isn't this a sort of parodied genre of French/Frum writing in America, by former conservative writers desperate to be liked.
'the conservative case' and it just becomes increasingly absurd: open borders, letting drag queens dance in front of your kids etc etc.
thank you (have fixed).
I wonder if there's more to be done PR wise, ensuring the world knows.
The brow beating goes on because people are incentived to so and Britain does not return the favour. See our recent humiliation at the hands of India,
https://unherd.com/thepost/suella-braverman-is-right-about-indian-migrants/
after which we should have called an immediate halt to negotiations.
Aidan, are you trying to tempt Ed into saying something that would get him carted off to the gulag? Since you raise the subject, what do you feel about the connection between falling African mortality and the Most Important Graph in the World? Just neutral, scientific feelings?
Who is this 'Sailer' you talk of? I have no idea who that man is. [sweats]
Having no feelings either way strikes me as odder than being a blazing racist or an open borders Nazi. Kind of like an alien gazing disinterestedly down from an Olympian height at the funny humans far below.
I don't think he's saying he has no feelings, just that it's a scientific fact
But I'm not Aidan's spokesman, sure he can answer
I see.