But… but… how would I be able to feel smugly morally superior to those in worse circumstances than myself if we actually improved their circumstances to the point where they had a fighting chance of getting their shit together? Answer me that.
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You can always tell yourself you did it your way.
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Beware of Planet Money and The Economist. That is all…
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This idea sounded interesting, so I went to the Give Directly website - but the information is a bit different from what is reported here. On this blog it says that Give Directly finds “the poorest places” in the world to donate the money, but on their website it says they donate only in Kenya. What’s the real story?
I’m not sure this quite backs up “give money to desperate people in need” - this project was something subtly different. They didn’t just give money to refugees or randomly selected people, they aimed for the ideal targets: organised groups of people who have a business plan in areas with a functioning economy. The money was no-strings-attached once it was handed out - they didn’t have to follow through on the business plan - but only people who could put one together could get any money. That means there were some hidden requirements here: they’re reasonably capable people who had an idea and a team to work on it.
I’m not really surprised that this worked, and it’s a pretty good idea. But they aren’t desperate people, they’re just people who were quite poor before and are now better off. It would be interesting to repeat this experiment with refugees and people in similar circumstances but I don’t think we can assume it would show the same results.
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Cool. Thanks for the info.
In order to accurately compare methodologies, it usually requires some kind of control group
And the control gets the placebo aid package, which will be distributed in a double blind fashion… A bit harder to accomplish than giving out sugar pills that look like the real ones…
On this blog it says that Give Directly finds “the poorest places” in the world to donate the money, but on their website it says they donate only in Kenya. What’s the real story?
That Kenya has some of the poorest places in the world?
But, but, but… reverse racism and white slavery!!! Also, Obamacare is slavery and how dare that Muslim brotherhood, atheist, black nationalist, socialist-fascist hate us for our freedom…
Why do you hate America, Millie? Why?
Does that about cover the outrage over your comment we’re likely to here? Edited to add: So far, just a general tone of agreement! Weird…
Also, I agree. Start with black communities in Detroit and go from there. Do you think a similar program for impoverished rural areas would be equally effective? Maybe include poor whites as well? Thoughts?
Also, you also I think hit on an important point–community. I think if you give a single, individual person some money, disconnected from any communal structures, they can certainly go out and improve their own lot, but giving an entire community money can go much further for general overall improvement. And that seems to be something this group is doing, focusing on communal, not individual uplift.
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Yes I do. Class-based evisceration of educational and economic opportunity has happened for centuries to discernible groups in terms of both race and class. We should tax those who have benefited (especially estate taxes) and find ways to distribute the money directly to those who have been denied.
I know it’s a pipe-dream, but lots of mere dreams eventually became real.
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Kenya has some poor places, but not the poorest in the world. Surely there are other places in the world that would also benefit from the Give Directly program.
Who is helped if we split hairs between impecunious and destitute?
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It seems to me you only want to fight fire with fire.
I prefer to use water.
You have misunderstood me. Why can’t Give Directly have programs in other parts of the world - regardless of whether the area is impecunious or destitute? Why only in Kenya?
Criticism has been magically edited away through the bromidization process. Not weird, just sad.
Schemes to punish descendants of people who did evil, and help the descendants of people to whom evil was done, by redistribution of wealth based on the skin color of persons now living, are apparently considered above reproach here.
Do you mean any and all criticism of some supposedly prevailing point of view here is erased by moderators? If so, you’re wrong.
[quote=“Medievalist, post:39, topic:12954”]
Schemes to punish descendants of people who did evil, and help the descendants of people to whom evil was done, by redistribution of wealth based solely on the skin color of persons now living, are apparently considered above reproach here.[/quote]
By whom? You’re still “here,” and you obviously do not consider them above reproach. Which is no surprise, blind as you seem to be to the realities of racial privilege.
And if you’re not blind to them, then why does the centuries-long accrual of wealth at the expense of non-white others, via a wide and readily discernible array of white supremacist ideologies, laws, and methods, not bother you, while such proposed solutions for correction as wealth redistribution do?
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So, Israel should give back the reparations to Germany?
I think Millie was addressing specific problems that stems from a specific historical set of events that I think do have relevance.
And also I was probably a bit unfair and snarky… but I’m in the middle of comps weeks, so I think I should be given a pass… 
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Then I cheerfully give you a pass! Good luck on the comps.
Unfortunately Millie sees people as members of group categories who should be punished or encouraged, and does not see that her categorization method (racism) is incapable of producing the desired outcome.
Should Israel give reparations to Palestinians? Would that fix anything? I think something a bit more creative is required.
If you actually look at their website, it’s clear that they’re just getting started. It doesn’t really matter why they chose Kenya over another place; it probably has to do with regulatory and logistical issues etc.
According to their website, they are already working on expanding into a second (unnamed) country.
