Collins 1

Paige Collins
Mr. King
English II
8 May 2015
Benchmark
Aid is defined as to provide what is useful or necessary according to Merriam Webster
dictionary. Every year large amounts of money are sent to foreign countries. Advocates are even
pushing to double the roughly $50 billion of international assistance that already goes to Africa
each year. Although the money will sometimes go into causes that help the nation that the aid
was given to, the money doesnt always go towards its intended purpose. America should halt
their intervention in other countrys affairs due to the fact that their aid is commonly used for the
wrong cause and can even support dictatorships or destroy the economy.
To begin with, aid is sometimes used to support predators of peoples rights. For instance
Linda Poleman testifies in The Case against Aid In Sierra Leone, I realized that the rebel
soldiers who had been hacking off peoples hands and feet, they could actually explain to me
how to manipulate the system In this terrible example where aid has been used to benefit
causes that are harmful, people are suffering even more because aid was provided. The aid is
used to help the oppressors not the oppressed, creating more victims, and leaving them in a
worse situations than they were in before. Dictators of countries have figured out to manipulate
the system in the same manner.

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The United States of America should stop giving aid to countries because providing aid
can help to further assist dictatorships. Dictators who demand aid to stave off mass starvation
must account for the misery caused when they divert aid to supporters and cut off opponents
Dictators have manipulated the systems of aid into helping their own benefit, rather than the
countries. They benefit politically while they let their citizens suffer. The aid serves support to
the authoritarian government, rather than then people who suffer under it, which makes it more
harmful than useful. Although the citizens are suffering, the aid given to the rulers still adds and
fluctuation of money to the economy, which can lead to economic problems such as inflation.
Furthermore, when a country is provided with foreign aid, it is a popular trend to see that
countrys economy weaken. For instance in the article Why Foreign Aid is Hurting Africa by
Dambisa Moyo states To fight aid-induced inflation, countries have to issue bonds to soak up
the subsequent glut of money swamping the economy. In 2005, for example, Uganda was forced
to issue such bonds to mop up excess liquidity to the tune of $700 million. The interest payments
alone on this were a staggering $110 million, to be paid annually. Many countries have to flight
inflation, and other financial problems that occur after aid is received. The purpose of giving
assistance is to help these counties out of their economic issues, not create more. By contributing
help the United States unintentionally worsens the economy and the state of the country by
providing assistance to governments and oppressing groups, America is making the countrys
problems worse, not solving them.
In conclusion, although aid is given with good intentions, it usually ends up supporting
immoral causes, worsening the economy and government, therefore it should no longer be
provided. Aid is occasionally put into good use; however in most cases it usually becomes more

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harmful than useful to the countries it is given to. Even though it may seem morally correct to
help, it may be better to leave the problem alone.