When Money Destroys Nations
By Philip Haslam and Rusell Lamberti
Published by Penguin Books (2014)
ISBN: 978-0-14-353918-6

INDEPENDENCE in Africa spelt doom for whites.
Their ‘golden goose’ was no more.
They had been used to plundering resources with no questions asked.
Tables had turned.
Africans had regained control of their continent.
Given their pride, whites were not going to sit and watch Africa slip through their fingers.
Defeat was a bitter pill to swallow.
They had to rethink.
Strategies to once again control Africa had to be put in place.
With Africa being a developing continent, whites realised the only way to sneak in back was through presenting themselves as allies.
Yesterday’s enemy stands today claiming to be a developmental partner.
The West has manipulated African governments through aid.
Aid advanced to Africa comes with strings attached.
Their aim is: ‘Force’ African governments to conform to the will of the West.
The West takes advantage of the fact that some African states are in dire need of aid and have no option but to ‘sing from the whiteman’s hymn book.’
The book, When Money Destroys Nations, by Philip Haslam and Rusell Lamberti explores the issue of aid in Africa.
The book, as Haslam and Lamberti write, aims to “…dismantle the assumptions and arguments that have supported the single worst decision of modern developmental politics, the choice of aid as the optimum solution to the problem of Africa’s poverty….”
The writers explain how recipients of aid have been disadvantaged by the giver.
Aid comes with strings attached.
“Aid supporters also believe in conditionalities,” they write.
“This is the notion that the imposition of rules and regulations set by donors to govern the conditions under which aid is disbursed can ultimately determine its success or failure.”
Aid has been withdrawn from countries whose governments do not conform to the whiteman’s template.
The writers contend that, through aid, the West makes itself the chief architect in economic and political affairs of receiving countries.
Aid has been used as a tool to effect regime change in Africa.
Inasmuch as the role of the civil society, through which aid is channelled, readers should be aware that some of these groupings have hidden agendas.
The Patriot is constantly carrying stories of how the West is funding non-governmental organisations that come under the guise of offering humanitarian assistance yet they want to effect regime change.
Governments that are perceived as not towing the line have had aid withdrawn.
“Aid flows only as long as the recipient country agrees to a set of economic and political policies,” they write.
“Donors placed restrictions on the use of aid, and the recipients would adhere.”
The writers suggest that aid donors benefitted more than recipients.
Aid was not bringing meaningful development to Africa, the writers suggest.
“Countries that take aid have to spend it on specific goods and services which originated from the donor countries, or a group selected by them.
This extends to staff as well: Donors employ their own citizens even when suitable candidates for the job exist in the poor country.”
The writers suggest Africa, given its resources, could do away with relying on aid.
For long Britain had been milking Zimbabwe of its natural resources until the ZANU PF-led Government put in place policies that ensured indigenes had control of their resources.
“It’s time to stop pretending that the aid-based development model currently in place will generate sustained economic growth in the world’s poorest,” they write.
“It will not.
They say that aid worked, that the true test of aid’s success is that millions of other Africans would have died were it not for aid.”
The authors suggest Africans, by working together, can guarantee sustainable development.
“Africa’s development impasse demands a new level of consciousness, a greater degree of innovation, and a generous dose of honesty about what works and what does not as far as development is concerned,” they write.
“And one thing is for sure; depending on aid has not worked.
Make the cycle stop.”
As Africa forges ahead, it should be on the lookout for the wolf in sheep skin.