Self-Reliance Worldwide: Foreign Aid

We support National Economic Self-Reliance Worldwide. To what extent should "Foreign Aid" be involved? To answer that, let's look at its basic Principles and Purpose.

Some say that Britain should cancel its Foreign Aid budget altogether and not bother sending money to countries with a long record of political and economic failure.

Further, there is opposition to the idea that these countries are getting "handouts" and we get nothing in return, but higher tax bills.

However, there is nothing wrong with Foreign Aid per se and there is much to commend it, if it is applied properly.

That is, a Foreign Aid package should flow from a principled political position intended to achieve key diplomatic and economic objectives in the interests of both the receiver and sender.

THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF FOREIGN AID

PRINCIPLE 1: Foreign Aid must be a Tool of Diplomacy not an Act of Charity

We do not take a paternalistic view of other countries. We recognise other countries may need our help and expertise, and often we can provide this, but we want them to stand on their own feet and help themselves.

PRINCIPLE 2: Foreign Aid must be a Mutually Beneficial Process

Quid pro Quo. If we give, we must also get. There must be something in it for us and we must not lose out. There must be tangible benefits for our country, people and common good, not merely profits for the multi-national corporations who have no loyalty to this country.

PRINCIPLE 3: Foreign Aid must be Withdrawn or Reduced if a Relationship, or Aspects of it, is not Mutually Beneficial

If the policies of other countries are costing us money, then we have to be compensated. We can take that money out of their Foreign Aid package.

THE PURPOSES OF FOREIGN AID

PURPOSE 1: To Build Self-Reliance Worldwide

Self-Determination is for export. We believe in it for our own country and we believe in it for all countries.

Thus we believe in Foreign Aid for Self-Reliance intended to ensure the recipient is enabled to stand on its own feet and free itself from dependency on outside forces.

PURPOSE 2: To Achieve Benefits for Ourselves

These may be measured in terms of mutually beneficial trading arrangements, diplomatic and strategic favours, or in terms of fewer economic migrants, and "asylum seekers" arriving on our shores.

For example, it should be the long-term aim of a properly directed Foreign Aid programme to make countries more economically and politically stable, in order to stem the flow of economic migrants and asylum seekers.

At the same time, the money saved by ending economic migration disguised as "asylum seeking", could be used as part of the Foreign Aid budget intended to help countries develop Self-Reliant economies.

Furthermore, our policy of Non-Interventionism is more likely to help stability in foreign countries, than a belligerent policy which ends up creating asylum flows into Europe.

HOW BEST TO ACHIEVE THESE GOALS

Directing Foreign Aid for the specific objective of increasing National Self-Reliance can often be done best by directing aid at local grass-roots organisations which are more conscious of small-scale local needs, rather than pouring it into the top where it can be flushed away by profligate heads of state, endemic corruption or unsustainable corporate activity.

To the extent that Foreign Aid programmes are tied to enforcing neo-liberal economic dogma – in order to promote cash cropping, force markets open for commodity dumping, grant unlimited access for multi-national corporations, prevent their proper regulation, liberalise financial markets, force dependency on foreign investment, promote further borrowing, restrict social spending, and encourage the privatisation and deregulation of public assets – then they do not promote National Self-Reliance, but rather they deliberately promote national dependence upon wealthy international corporations and individuals.

Thus, our Foreign Aid for Self-Reliance programme requires challenging the prevailing economic philosophy which presently dominates, led by the WTO, World Bank and IMF.

OBJECTIONS

"Foreign Aid money goes to dictators and is wasted"

It is true that Foreign Aid has encouraged misrule and conflict in the past, but that does not mean that Foreign Aid, per se, is wrong, only that it has been mis-applied.

"We should trade, not give aid"

Yes, trade can often be a way of helping a country although we have to consider our own interests too.

For example, we can't necessarily trade with a country in a particular item if it undermines our own British producers, or our favoured producers elsewhere in the world.

Furthermore, international trade is not necessarily in the best interests of the developing country if it is merely producing cash-crops for export in order to earn foreign currency.

In all cases, our Foreign Aid package should be directed to build-up the foreign country's intrinsic Self-Reliance in basic needs: food, energy, education; and to help it become as Economically Sovereign as possible in the face of a predatory international economic environment.