Does Foreign Aid Really Work?

by Roger C. Riddell

Foreign aid is now a $100bn business and is expanding more rapidly today than it has for a generation. But does it work? Indeed, is it needed at all?

Other attempts to answer these important questions have been dominated by a focus on the impact of official aid provided by governments. But today possibly as much as 30 percent of aid is provided by Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), and over 10 percent is provided as emergency assistance.

In this first-ever attempt to provide an overall assessment of aid, Roger Riddell presents a rigorous but highly readable account of aid, warts and all. oes Foreign Aid Really Work? sets out the evidence and exposes the instances where aid has failed and explains why. The book also examines the way that politics distorts aid, and disentangles the moral and ethical assumptions that lie behind the belief that aid does good. The book concludes by detailing the practical ways that aid needs to change if it is to be the effective force for good that its providers claim it is.

Genres: Nonfiction, Economics, International Development

536 pages, Paperback

First published April 19, 2007

Reviews

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a must-read when studying foreign assistance, especially development aid. Riddell takes a thorough approach in analyzing the pros and cons of the current system, and concludes that the system needs to be revamped so that donors are held more accountable, there is increased coordination amongst donors and organizations, and so that recipient countries are no longer "junior partners." From the problem of the fungibility of aid to the cultural impact of aid, Riddell works through why there are problems and how these could be addressed, but also how it could create additional problems. The system is clearly broken and needs to be reworked; however, if this is not possible, donors need to look to make sure they are doing more good than harm. Perhaps every dollar cannot go towards ameliorating a situation, but as long as the good outweighs the bad, is assistance so terrible?

[Gavin · Rating 4 out of 5]

At least when I was writing about aid, this was the best book on the balance of evidence. Bottom line is that almost all non-health C20th aid was wasted (and the food aid portion often harmful, since it distorted the local economy), but things have been getting a lot better since 2005.

Only not five stars because it doesn't integrate the evidence into a full quantitative model or meta-analysis.

[Aida Mg · Rating 5 out of 5]

The arguments on both sides are very well balanced!

[David Heyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very comprehensive, but also tough cookie to chew on. A bit too scientific for me

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very comprehensive and (IMO) balanced view of the foreign aid game. Although I don't entirely agree with all of the author's conclusions (far, far more aid is needed according to Riddell) I do agree with the majority of his ideas. This book should be titled "All you ever wanted, or needed, to know about foreign aid but were too depressed/cynical/frustrated to ask."

[Jens · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the best book on development I've ever read. Because it's not a screed, it gets a little slow at points. But it's very clear, and very convincing. It even goes so far as to make positive suggestions. Bravo.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Synopsis of 400 page book: yes and no, sometimes maybe.

[Sandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

good ideas, cumbersome to read from cover to cover

[Yumna M. Usmani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read!