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Contributions from
the Column
Media
The world at the abyss
Achieving food and nutrition security
Financial stability and growth in emerging economies
Corporations in global politics
Water – a human right?
11/2005 |
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Development aid:
A look back and forth
Rainer Barthelt:
Die Welt vor dem Abgrund. Kriege, Armut, Hunger, Klimaänderung, Umweltzerstörung, Terrorismus, Drogen und Korruption. Was kann die Entwicklungshilfe leisten? (The world at the abyss. Wars, poverty, hunger, climate change, environmental degradation, terrorism, drugs and corruption. What can development aid do?)
Düsseldorf, Droste 2005, 287 pp.,
¤ 16.95, ISBN 3-7700-1185-6
In 1995, the World Commission on Culture and Development stated in its 10-point programme: “The challenge to humanity is to adopt new ways of thinking, new ways of acting, new ways of organising itself in society; in short, new ways of living”. However, the warning that the “further-faster-more” mentality cannot go on indefinitely, and that a “change of perspective” is needed, seems to have fallen on deaf ears. How can we deal with the many dilemmas of our world?
Social change requires the deliberation and the stimulus of academic scholars, practitioners and maverick thinkers. Rainer Barthelt worked for the German Development Ministry (BMZ) for many years, most recently as director for Sub-Saharan Africa. His book introduces the reader to “positive subversion”, a term originally penned by the Swiss scolar, Hans A. Pestalozzi. Barthelt, well versed in and for some time personally responsible for what was originally called “development aid” and is now known as “development cooperation”, discusses the challenges we face today. In his opinion, macroeconomic stability is vital. Otherwise, necessary growth cannot be achieved. However, this factor alone does not automatically lead to a win-win situation for all. This is where development cooperation should slot in, says Barthelt, by attending to the needs of the people.
Making frequent reference to his experiences, Barthelt describes how bilateral and multilateral programmes have had an impact on Sub-Saharan states, how well-meant projects have had counterproductive repercussions for independent local initiatives, and how a tentative understanding is growing that the decision-making structures destroyed in colonial times should be restored first of all. Humankind is now trying to achieve with the “Millennium Development Goals” what was described back in 1990 as “the challenge of the South”: the elimination of extreme poverty and hunger, elementary education for all, a reduction in child mortality, the eradication of infectious diseases, et cetera.
These challenges concern us all. Barthelt could just as well have entitled his book “Global Partnership”. He doesn’t advance any sensational new insights on the state of our world. Instead, his overview illustrates the failures and omissions of development cooperation during the past century, and highlights new challenges, such as the Kyoto Protocol, globalisation, terrorism, et cetera. Barthelt makes his comments as a citizen of a rich country, who has been professionally involved in shaping One World policy for decades. His view on the world is neither biased nor starry-eyed. His sceptical view back is balanced by an optimistic look towards the future.
Jos Schnurer
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