Is there an argument to be made for altruistic aid being constrained to matters that serve the country of origin, and otherwise being a matter of privately organized contribution? Perhaps such that political changes don’t toggle the supply on and off, and so that self-interest motivates closer tabs being kept on proper use and efficiency?
I’ve upvoted this comment and disagree-voted it. I was initially prone to be dubious of the suggestion. I think lots of us are motivated by important outcomes like children not dying, and linking aid to national self-interest seemed problematic, because children not dying (or other good outcomes) are not the same as national self-interest. Optimising for one is likely to lead to different aid interventions than optimising for the other.
However I’ve warmed somewhat to the suggestion.
Nick rightly pointed out that politics risks toggling the supply up and down. (or rather down!) A clearer link to self-interest does indeed help.
For those of a GiveWellian mindset, part of the reason for believing that some interventions are more effective than others is a “sceptical prior”—ie a default assumption that interventions don’t work in the absence of evidence to the contrary. Aid which has a hard-nosed link to self-interest (eg better enabling markets for donor country exports) might be more likely to have the evidence needed.
On balance, I still think I disagree with the suggestion, mostly because a hardnosed link to self-interest probably won’t be compelling for those who are politically opposed to aid. But I appreciate the prompt to give this some thought.
Is there an argument to be made for altruistic aid being constrained to matters that serve the country of origin, and otherwise being a matter of privately organized contribution? Perhaps such that political changes don’t toggle the supply on and off, and so that self-interest motivates closer tabs being kept on proper use and efficiency?
I’ve upvoted this comment and disagree-voted it. I was initially prone to be dubious of the suggestion. I think lots of us are motivated by important outcomes like children not dying, and linking aid to national self-interest seemed problematic, because children not dying (or other good outcomes) are not the same as national self-interest. Optimising for one is likely to lead to different aid interventions than optimising for the other.
However I’ve warmed somewhat to the suggestion.
Nick rightly pointed out that politics risks toggling the supply up and down. (or rather down!) A clearer link to self-interest does indeed help.
For those of a GiveWellian mindset, part of the reason for believing that some interventions are more effective than others is a “sceptical prior”—ie a default assumption that interventions don’t work in the absence of evidence to the contrary. Aid which has a hard-nosed link to self-interest (eg better enabling markets for donor country exports) might be more likely to have the evidence needed.
On balance, I still think I disagree with the suggestion, mostly because a hardnosed link to self-interest probably won’t be compelling for those who are politically opposed to aid. But I appreciate the prompt to give this some thought.