While the
importance of foreign aid cannot be understated, it seems that every time
people talk of trimming the U.S. budget, such programs are one of the first things
to be put on the table. Yet, would this
really be a wise choice? How much money
do we spend of foreign aid and what is the per-dollar impact versus other areas
of government spending? Some say that it
is unwise to send money to other countries while our own people bear so many
burdens, but is this opinion justified? Ultimately,
what is the answer?
Whether one
believes that we should increase or decrease foreign aid, recent public opinion
surveys show that most Americans grossly overestimate the amount of money that
our country sends overseas. One poll
shows that Americans estimate foreign aid to make up, on average, about 21
percent of the federal budget. When
asked what a suitable amount would be, the average reply was 10%. Yet, when one looks at the actual amount of foreign aid that we
give each year, this number is far below the estimated twenty one percent of
our budget. Surprisingly, it is even
below the recommended ten percent level. [1]
So, one might ask, how much do we give to other countries?
Although
America is the greatest foreign aid donor in the world, that is only because we
are such a large, rich country. In
reality, only about one and a half percent
of our budget is devoted to international aid; far below most developed countries. In 2010, out of every hundred dollars that
each American made, only about 21 cents was given to international aid by the
federal government, with a little less than a dime of private charity added on
top. Compared to countries like Norway,
who’s government gave 110 cents per hundred dollars, we are woefully behind.
[2]
To put
everything in perspective, it is estimated that Americans spend more money on
sodas, or coffee, than on international aid.
In looking at these numbers, one has to wonder why the rhetoric to cut
aid is so strong. Yet, at the same time,
when our economy is ailing and people are hurting, do we really have any
business sending money overseas?
To answer this question, we must
remember that Americans are not the only inhabitants of this planet. We are all people here and we are not the
only ones hurting. Each of our lives is
valuable, and we must not forget this.
U.S. aid money helps millions of
people and likely saves thousands of lives. From the Global HIV/AIDS Initiative, to funds to end famine, prevent malaria, provide basic education, build infrastructure, respond to humanitarian crises, provide credit to farmers and small businesses, and to promote environmental preservation, our money can go a long way. At only one and a half percent of our national budget, to say that
America ought to cut all foreign aid in the interest of saving money sounds, at
the very least, quite selfish. Where
these resources can go to help millions abroad, their impact here would have an
almost negligible effect on domestic wellbeing.
A dollar spent in America buys you a tea at McDonalds, but a dollar
spent in some parts of Africa can feed a family for a day, or much more. Which ultimately helped a human being the
most?
Naturally,
a pragmatic approach needs to be taken when dispensing aid. We all know that simply throwing money at a problem
will rarely fix it. However, this does
not mean that we have to turn and give up.
Ultimately,
it comes down to the marginal benefit (benefit per each additional dollar
given) of any given aid program. In some
areas, where aid is desperately needed, a dollar can go a very long way to
help, producing far more benefit than the initial cost. However, there are other areas, particularly
in richer countries where much aid is already given, that each additional
dollar may have only a very small benefit.
In this case, for every dollar spent, there might be, for example, only eighty
cents worth of benefit.
Additionally, where excessive aid
is given for too long, communities may become dependent on it, thus losing the
ability to support themselves. In some
cases, giving too much food aid, for instance, can undermine the local
agricultural economy, ultimately making a problem worse.
Shown these
difficulties, some might say that we should halt aid for fear that it may be
wasted. However, we can’t simply take a
flamethrower and blindly burn programs. The
job before us, instead, is to evaluate our expenditures and to decide where
money should best be given. We can’t
spend without caution, yet, we cannot turn our back to the rest of the world.
America
truly is a great nation and I am proud to be one of her citizens. When a mother and her starving children
receive food, medicine, and clothes; whose name and flag do they see? What do they remember about the nation who
gave them these things?
By giving aid to other countries,
we are showing that we, as a nation, can go above and beyond. We show the world that we can be leaders, and
that we are a great people. To me, it
seems that few things could be more patriotic.
Yet, some say that we should take
this away; that we should think only of ourselves and that we should show the
world selfishness. I am not one of
those. To say that we should discontinue
this service to the world, that our nation is incapable of giving, or that we
should shirk our moral responsibilities is, in my opinion, unpatriotic. It is an insult to America. I have more faith in our country than that
and I know that we are capable. This is
the nation that can, not the nation
that could, but which chooses not to.
America is too great a nation for
some to say that we should turn away.
[1] Miller, Talea, and Larisa, Epatko. Foreign Aid Facing Proposed Cuts and a Public Perception Problem. PBS Newshour. Mar. 10, 2011. Web.
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