RE: Debunk-Tuesday – The Myth of Overpopulation
This is quite awesome. I have always say that the problem of the world is not overpopulation nor inadequate resources. The problem is greed, corruption and mismanagement.
Even though the bulk of the blames goes to the leaders of developing/underdeveloped countries, the developed countries designed the blueprints and facilitate the execution of corrupt practices in the former. Take for example the Nigerian situation where one of the former military head of states stole billions of dollars and harboured it in Switzerland. The said amount of money would have successfully run the budget of Nigeria for at least, 5 solid years. Up till I'm typing this, after the death of the HOS and the discovery of the loot, the pilfered money is yet to be returned by the Switzerland government despite several attempts by successive Nigerian governments. How possible is it for such a huge amount of money to be moved from one country to the other without diplomatic missions being involved?
This is just one of several examples. A lot of politicians in developing countries steal the resources meant for their people and invest same in foreign, developed countries, duly aided by the government of such countries (how else can a foreigner invest huge amounts in your country without your knowledge?). Alas, the developed countries would be the first to accuse and blame the developing countries for being poor. The world population vs resources of a thing is more of a political issue than a scientific issue. I could go on and on but I don't want to use my rant to tarnish a good post.
Yeah, I agree - corruption is one of the biggest problems when it comes to factors which are preventing countries from advancing. There are many scholars who are arguing to end any foreign aid by governments, since most of it will never reach the people it was intended for. If I recall it correctly, I read somewhere that private institutions like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation are way more effective when it comes to actual help and change of people's lives.
I think that strongly depends on the country and project you're looking at. Sometimes, "help" is a synonym for buying access to resources via corruption. And yes, private institutions are doing that as well - maybe even more open than states. The oil companies have their reputation for a reason.
And sometimes it's really help. You mentioned the Gates Foundation, which is a good example for an altruistic private institution. But than there's also the public funded programmes of the UN, or single countries' initiatives. E.g., the Republic of Austria funded the construction of water power plants in Bhutan, whithout expecting anything back (my father was involved in the project as an engineer).