Foreign aid - good or evil?

[MMI]

Extreme example is right! My response is simplistic and appropriate only to your example. But the principle holds good.

First, if we acknowledge our duties, there's no need for charity. Charity is too focused on fashionable areas of need, and ignores general needs.

Next, why does the man burn the $100? Is there a reason? He's starving hungry and on death's door.

Anyway, I still have a duty to give him the $100 in the first instance.

The recipient has an obligation also. He must put that $100 to its intended use or return it.

I think what I'm saying is, I would give my $100 to the people who can't or who don;t know how. I would not want the man who won't to have it, but I'd rather give him $100 if withholding it also deprived others who did deserve it.

[Thorne]

why does the man burn the $100? Is there a reason? He's starving hungry and on death's door.

It could be a religious thing! His god doesn't like $100 bills.

Anyway, I still have a duty to give him the $100 in the first instance.

In your mind you, and I, have a duty. In my mind we don't. If you wish to look upon it as a duty, that's fine, it's your choice. My problem is with those who would inflict that choice upon others who think differently.

The recipient has an obligation also. He must put that $100 to its intended use or return it.

So it's all right to attach strings to the $100? And how do you enforce that "obligation" on the recipient? And if he takes that $100, buys a load of bricks
and throws them through your windows, are you still obligated to give him another $100?

I think what I'm saying is, I would give my $100 to the people who can't or who don;t know how. I would not want the man who won't to have it, but I'd rather give him $100 if withholding it also deprived others who did deserve it.

Here again, I tend to agree. Helping those who can't and teaching those who don't know how is a laudable endeavor. But when your $100, given to those kinds of people, is then stolen by the person who won't help himself, and then burned, it would be foolish to continue throwing money into that hole until you could neutralize that idiot.