Foreign Aid

Prompt:

There are two words that politicians take care to avoid: foreign aid. Instead, decision makers often sidestep the issue. Many believe that it is the United States’ obligation as the wealthiest nation in the world to help those who are poorer. Others feel that charity begins at home and question whether the people of those countries that receive aid actually benefit directly. Furthermore, they question whether there are any benefits for the united states. In your view, is foreign aid helpful? To whom? Carefully explain the rationale for your position.

Essay:

Foreign aid is a controversial subject because it involves the spending of money on others. American people in the United States have a hard time understanding why their money is not being applied to improve conditions at home. This misunderstanding is because America is a wealthy nation, and so it is hard to imagine what living in a third world country is like. Foreign aid is helpful to poorer nations because the governments of those nations are unable to support their people. The United States has an obligation to provide foreign aid to those less fortunate, so that those nations can rise above the poverty.

In America, there are homeless people, people who cannot afford health care, and children who cannot afford to go to school. Individuals set up scholarships, charities, shelters, etc. to help these people succeed in life. These individuals don’t have to help, but they do. The United States is in the same situation. The United States has the ability to provide food, shelter, education, etc. for other less fortunate countries. To know the problem is there in the world and to not do anything about it is selfish.

The countries that receive the aid benefit directly. As with all things, results take time to surface. Supplying foreign aid and then expecting to see results immediately is impossible. In the example of the earthquake in Haiti that left millions homeless, they were unable to reconstruct their country without the aid of other countries. Even now, after a year, Haiti is still trying to rebuild their country. Results may not be largely noticeable, but the foreign aid is helping tremendously.

Helping Haiti, and any other countries that require aid, also helps the United States as a world power. Other countries see the United States as an example, as a leader of nations, and will follow the United States’ footsteps. This helps enforce the United States as a dominant nation.
In conclusion, the United States should continue to provide foreign aid to poorer countries because it benefits both parties. The poorer country is able to provide more for its people, creating a better world economy. The United States is able to remain a world leader among all nations.