Live 8, A Wasted Effort?

Fire of Liberty
Peter Worthington has a good column in The Toronto Sun noting the worthlessness of the Live 8 concert in the fight against starvation and poverty in Africa. While the aged rockers strummed their guitars, sang their songs and begged the people of the Western world to send piles and piles of money to solve the ills of Africa, they failed to condemn the actions of Mugabe, Gadafi, the tyrants in Sudan, Mubarak in Egypt and countless other leaders of African nations who grow fat while their people linger on with empty bellies and nary a shred of freedom from the government. Worthington summed it up best when he noted:

Blair, being a socialist, feels guilty about Africa and says it's a "scar on the conscience of the world" -- a basket case instead of a potential cornucopia.

This is a prevalent attitude, but it's also condescending, patronizing, elitist and nuts. Now the push is for developed countries to write off $40 billion in debts that Africa owes, as well as increasing aid to $50 billion a year by 2010, and $75 billion a year by 2015. Put that in everyday terms: Would it make debtors more responsible if banks cancelled debts and gave, rather than lent, more money? Is compulsive gambling cured by providing unlimited funds to gamblers? Are alcoholics helped by giving them free booze?

Africa's greatest problems are corruption and tribalism (i.e., racism). Foreign aid tends to keep dictators in power and prevents the people from being able to choose wise leaders and provide for themselves.

So lets depart from the "We are the World" nuttiness being promoted by the kings of the entertainment and accept the fact that actions like spreading democracy, promoting free trade, open government and ending the scourge of malaria rather than more money is the key to reversing the implosion of Africa. I guess when you live in a secluded bubble like the entertainers who appeared on the various Live 8 stages throughout the world do, then throwing money at a problem is right down their alley. Thank God these folks don't run the US Government.