Despite Good Intentions: Why Development Assistance to the Third World Has Failed
This unusual book is neither on the left nor on the right. It takes no political position. Instead the point of view is practical - the things we've tried to do in order to help others develop - and the industrial countries as well as the multilateral agencies like the World Bank have been doing it for 55 years - have not had any lasting effect. But few inside the industry can admit it. Too many jobs and careers are at stake.
This is two books in one. You can just read the stories, or you can just read the chapters. Either way, you'll get the straight story on the world's least effective industry. Written by Dr. Thomas Dichter.
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Excerpts
<br />"It does not matter what … projects and programs do as long as they are time-bound, have measurable indicators that seem in the short run to alleviate poverty, and use lots of our own labor."

"If anything points to the growing irrelevance of the development assistance industry, it is the contrast between our own ersatz attempts to engineer development and what people do and create themselves. It may not be as pretty as what we in the "dev biz" continue to design, but it is real."

"…many people in developing countries have become so willing to take what we offer, and over and over again, because they have become used to repaying us in deference and obsequiousness. If they seem to bow and scrape, it is not because it is in their nature but because that may be the only currency they have to repay is in, and we, in turn, have become quite happy to receive it."

"…institutional momentum has reduced the possibility of not acting. Ideally in development that wild card - the do-nothing card - should always be there; it is the ultimate ace in the hole. But it is almost never used."

"This industry has become one in which the benefits of what is spent are increasingly in inverse proportion to the amount spent - a case of more gets you less. As donors are attracted on the basis of appeals emphasizing "product," results, and accountability…the tendency to engage in project-based, direct-action development becomes inevitable. Because funding for development is increasingly finite, this situation is very much as zero-sum game. What gets lost in the shuffle is the far more challenging long-term process of development."

"Development assistance has largely failed to work because it cannot work. This is so because of human nature, the complexity of the development world's problems, and, most important, the inevitable structural distortions and contradictions within the development assistance industry. "


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Reviews:
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This book is the keystone of any collection on the state of the art in modern thought on development assistance. It is easy to read, easy to understand, and presents a persuasive argument for change to the modern methods of so called "development." This books usefulness is not limited to the third world, as its lessons can apply just as easily to New Orleans as it can to the Congo.
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I first checked this out from the library, but I'm now picking up a copy (or maybe two) so I can have it on my shelf to cite from and to loan to friends and family.
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Highly reccomended.
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Dr. Dichter gives a wide range of examples based on real experiences that expose many of the pitfalls of development assistance as we know it. Unfortunately, while his descriptions of the problems are quite comprehensive, his proposed solution (i.e. drastically cut development assistance in favor of private development) lacks much in the way of logical support. For instance, there is no contrasting presentation of examples of privately-funded projects that have succeeded where charity has failed, nor any mention of to what extent business relies on government-funded infrastructure improvements, etc. In addition, the topic is best addressed in two stages -- i.e., is it desirable to encourage development in other countries? and, if so, are our current tactics the most effective and efficient ways to achieve this goal? Dr. Dichter addresses only the second question, but seems to conclude that because the status quo is ineffective, the entire pursuit should be abandoned. But in general the book is still highly worth reading if you're the least bit interested in development assistance -- it is both deeply enlightening and generally accessible.

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It's one of those (few) publications that would immediately make you sit up straight, cause you to squirm and shake your head in disbelief, heave a deep sigh, raise your eye brows at some point, and move you deeply to show appreciation to its material by graphically interacting with its content (in other words scribbling all over the pages of the book - line by line, margin to margin - with notes and personal reactions. That happened to my copy. That's how interesting the book is!). No, the book is not trashy and is far from cynical. On the other hand, it offers a very reflective, comprehensive and insightful analysis of the mistakes and failures of the development industry as a whole. The author, a "devbiz" insider, is not an anti-INGO humbug but one who calls on his development colleagues to re-examine their (and their organizations') ways and to genuinely consider the often ignored realities in the field. His analysis of the evolution of the development industry and its trends, patterns and pitfalls are based on actual case studies and historical facts. Full of relevant lessons and thought-provoking questions and issues that would challenge not just your notions of development work but even your own values, motives and goals for entering the "devbiz" industry. The book stimulates mentally but tugs at the heart.

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Mr. Dichter has written an excellent book about the so called "development industry". He describes the evolution of the idea of helping the poor countries of the so called third world since 1950 until today. He discusses the problems that have arisen in the hundreds of governement development agencies, NGOs, and humanitarian organizations, mainly the excessive professionalization and bureaucratization of these organizaitons. The "industry" of development as he calls it, exists mainly to give emplyment opportunities for well paid (and well travelled)consultants than to really help the needy.
Interwoven in his analysis are 18 case stories. Just reading the case stories (which are based in the author's wide professional experience)gives you a better insight in the dilemma of development, than dozens of World Bank, IMF and "imperialism" bashing books that are in the market. The description of how the World Bank ticks is very interesting. You feel that here someone is writing that has gone through all this and has thought about it. THIS IS REALITY and not theory.
I myself have worked in Africa for 5 years as an economist for a Christian Mission Society. It is amazing to see that everywhere in the field the problems are the same: poorly conceived projects, neglect of the consequences of projects, and so on. If you are ever thinking of working in the area of international development, AND if you really want to help the poor, AND NOT MAKE A CAREER OUT OF IT, READ THIS BOOK!!!

See also

Thomas Dichter

Ernest Dichter

External links

Despite Good Intentions: Why Development Assistance to the Third World Has Failed (Paperback) Amazon II