Over dinner with house guest Mark Weber, co-producer of the documentary film Poverty Inc., we discussed the causes of poverty and how even well-intentioned aid efforts can sometimes have unforeseen negative consequences. Mr. Weber advanced the idea that the Western World’s idea of industrial development and its mission to help developing countries is a remnant of the colonial mentality. He also identified several issues with how non-profits operate:

• Unlike for-profit companies which go out of business when they are unsuccessful, non-profits continue to operate as long as they have continued funding.
• There is no feedback mechanism by which the recipients of aid can communicate with givers of the aid.
• People who donate money, goods, or services, expect to see an immediate impact. In reality, a lot of the work of developing a country and alleviating poverty is un-glamorous and takes significant time and infrastructure to develop.

We also drew upon our collective personal experiences and identified some key factors which may hinder the development of African countries in particular. One of particular interest was “brain drain” which is when the best and brightest move to other countries that have more resources and more opportunities for them. This was a pertinent concept for our discussion since many international students leave their home country and come to Cornell to receive the high-caliber education and many will continue their lives here in the United States after graduation.

Poverty Inc. Trailer >> http:/www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqGQ1IRhdzg