Og say stuff good!!

Came across this article in Foreign Policy. At first, I thought they should have titled it "The Technocrats' Lament." Seemed like Mr. Easterly, by labeling globalization "Developmentalism" and sticking it on the shelf next to communism, socialism, fascism [islamism]....you know, the failed ideologies of the retreading troglodytes. No sir, I thought, he's not getting an invite to a brai at my kraal.

But Mr. Easterly's critique is more subtle. An I hope it doesn't get lost as this article makes it's rounds. He's critiquing the structures which accrete around development. The international, technocratic, managerial need to "do good."

His conclusion:

The opposite of ideology is freedom, the ability of societies to be unchained from foreign control. The only “answer” to poverty reduction is freedom from being told the answer. Free societies and individuals are not guaranteed to succeed. They will make bad choices. But at least they bear the cost of those mistakes, and learn from them. That stands in stark contrast to accountability-free Developmentalism. This process of learning from mistakes is what produced the repositories of common sense that make up mainstream economics. The opposite of Development ideology is not anything goes, but the pragmatic use of time-tested economic ideas—the benefits of specialization, comparative advantage, gains from trade, market-clearing prices, trade-offs, budget constraints—by individuals, firms, governments, and societies as they find their own success.

See, I can get behind the idea that government and institutions with multiyeardevelopmet plans(tm) do more to choke development and serve only to enhance their own coffers. The terminal organization in the regard, with "welfare" as caring, is the UNHCR. The best way to help someone is to get the hell out of their way and let them fail or succeed.

Time tested. Ask the Kurds.

I see the world dividing (by no means evenly) between those who would go forward, and those who would retread. The "eachs" of the particular movements are largely irrelevant over the long term.

That the Forwards still don't adequately explain their message (build) in contrast to the Retreads (loot) represent a tragic failure for our times. I sincerely hope that is reversed one day.

Ad astra or the mud. Period.

Og really like stuff.