Book Review On Dambisa Moyo; Dead Aid, Why Aid Is Not Good For Africa Book Review

Introduction

Dambisa Moyo is a Zambian innate with a Doctorate from Oxford University as well as a degree from the Harvard University. Moyo Dambisa has demonstrated her diligence working at the Goldman Sachs and the World Bank. Dambisa Moyo wrote her first book, the Dead Aid which is a controversial exploration of aid projects in the African Continent. The book by Moyo has received lots of praises from Kofi Annan. Kofi Quotes that the book is the best description of a fascinating case for a new strategy in Africa. She emphasizes that the time for Africa is here. Moyo further stresses Africa has the time to assume complete control of their political and economic destiny. The continent should, therefore, grip the numerous opportunities and means availed to it to efficiently enhance the quality of life within its inhabitants. Coming during a period where criticism id the order of the day regarding aid industry and the failures that come with it. The book dead aid therefore definitely contributes to the existing debate (Ashta, 2013).

The Dead Aid Review

Dambisa Moyo contends that the Aid often offered to Africa has failed to achieve the desired effect, she further points out that the aid has contributed to the failure demonstrated by the nations in Africa and poverty in an active way. This failure suffered by Africa has prevented it from attaining success and economic viability since it has been addicted to the aid and, therefore, become aid dependent, to the disadvantage of economic growth and responsible governance (Ashta, 2013).
The writer additionally criticizes the increase in the number of moral campaigners and the Glamour aid, particularly in the music and the movie industry. “Hardly does one perceive Africa’s voted -in -officials or the policy makers in Africa who are charged with the improvement portfolio offer a view on the exact thing to be done or regarding an option that is most likely to attract success this very significant duty has, for all the purposes and intents and to the chagrin and bewilderment of Africans, been handed over to the musicians residing outside the African continent.” (p. 27)(Ammendola, 2010).
The main argument in the Dead Aid is that the root cause of poverty is aid that is awarded to Africa; this is because aid does away with incentives within the Africa society amidst policy makers. Furthermore, the writer advocates for the stopping of aid to Africa since they make the continent “lazy”, the government irresponsible and unable to serve its citizens hence has led to corruption and civil wars. Aid has protected governments from usually disastrous decisions regarding governance and has nurtured dictatorship (Ammendola, 2010).
The writer further advocates the involvement of Africa into the global bond markets, promote innovations in micro-finance i.e. Bangladesh Grameen Bank group borrowing, participate in direct foreign stock, the Chinese to be specific and campaign for free trade. The book is written in a simple manner which is easily understandable, however, looking at it as a proletarian, I wished for more explanations and details regarding Moyo’s assertions. For example, a lot is made of the idea that aid has not succeeded in Africa, however, there isn’t much explanation as to why this is the case, apart from laying blames on corruption and insufficient dissemination policies handled is warranted. And what would be the probable outcomes in case the Aid was discontinued? Simply, a concise definition of aid could have offered more insight. Other than providing a short criticism, Moyo fails to aim at charitable or philanthropic aid, but rather concentrate on multilateral and bilateral aid, which is defined as "the total amount of concessional grants and even loans." Regrettably as a non-economist, I am completely unsure of the precise meaning of that statement. Does it encompass educational and health aid or the local improvement grants? This is neither made clear. Regarding the governance question, Moyo explains using explanations the corrupt realms which have been sustained by the offered aids. However, Moyo assures us casually that discontinuing aid will to some extent ensure appropriate governance. Exactly why would that be so? there are several examples of very corrupt and repressive governments in regions which have shown independence from aids. Moreover, Moyo states that discontinuing aid will eventually reduce military coups and wars. Why? Simply because military coups and wars are usually about mineral wealth and resources (Cheung and Haan, 2013).
Moyo is an apparent enthusiast of China and its existing African Multipronged attack, an entire chapter of the Dead Aid is devoted to the benefits of ventures conducted by China and the region as a whole. For Moyo, any worry regarding the Chinese and the probable consequences of such investments is only viewed as western hypocrisy. Environmental and humanitarian apprehensions are also pushed aside. Moyo asserts that “numerous Africans jeer at the idea that the westerners should be annoyed by the implicit maintenance from China directed to African’s rogue and extremely corrupt leaders. After all, it is under the sponsorships of aids from the west, transparency and goodwill regarding the rising and thriving of Africa’s most notorious despots and plunderers.” That can as well remain that way, however, I abnormally remain unconvinced that leaders who are corrupt and additionally supported by ventures are a better option for the continent as compared to the leaders who are sustained by aid. And if the objective is to assist Africa, then honestly serious calculations and considerations must be accorded to Chinese enterprise practices including underbidding local enterprises and even hiring the locals. There is not a doubt that developmental or supportive aid to Africa has clearly been squandered and even mismanaged (Dead Aid: Why Aid Is Not Working and How There Is a Better Way for Africa - by Dambisa Moyo, 2009).
Moyo stresses that approximately one Trillion Dollars of aid has been offered to the African continent since the First World War, nevertheless the Sub-Saharan Africa remains at the position of the poorest region in the globe, with minimum evidence to present in regard to economic growth. There is, therefore, a clear urge to resolve the problem, and come up with feasible long term resolutions. Moyo’s book remains a significant step in propelling a vital dialogue (Cheung and Haan, 2013).
In the last section of the book Dead Aid, Moyo pays respect to Peter Bauer, and lightly mentions that both Paul Collier and Easterly William completely disagree with “one size fits all” approach to aid sustaining development- prior to introducing the next segments of the “Dead Aid” which are focused on explaining why the African Continent should employ free market instead of aiding driven resolutions to under improvement (Edozie, 2010).

Conclusion

The main stand of Moyo is that aid given to Africa does not drive the continent into the right economic direction. The aid eventually results to dependency hence subsequent laziness, reduced tax revenues, ineffective and bloated public sectors and finally, aid accord the donors the power to control the continent.

References

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Fergus, S. (2015). By All Means Necessary: How China's Resource Quest Is Changing the World, by Elizabeth C. Economy and Michael Levi; Winner Take All: China's Race for Resources and What It Means for the World, by Dambisa Moyo. International Journal: Canada's Journal of Global Policy Analysis, 70(3), pp.503-506.
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Johnstone, D. (2006). Financing higher education. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.
Miller, L. (2009). Book Review: Debt Aid by Dambisa Moyo, Farrar, Strauss, Giroux, 2009. The Review of Black Political Economy, 36(3-4), pp.275-276.
Moorsom, T. (2010). The zombies of development economics: Dambisa Moyo's Dead Aid and the fictional African entrepreneurs. Review of African Political Economy, 37(125), pp.361
Review Dead Aid: Why Aid Is Not Working and How There Is a Better Way for Africa. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2009. Pp. 188. Cloth $24.00. Paper $14.00. Dambisa Moyo. (2010). The Journal of African American History, 95(2), pp.282-284.