(no subject)

[theweaselking]

"The classic proverb says: If you give a man a fish, he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish, and he will have food for a lifetime. Christopher Blattman’s research suggests that if you just give the man cash, he will buy a fishing pole and learn how to fish himself." - from "Research Finds Outright Grants of Cash Are Surprisingly Effective Form of Aid to the Poor"

Comments

... but, but ...

[unnamed525.livejournal.com]

SOCIALISM!

[rimrunner.livejournal.com]

It occurs to me that what that classic proverb is missing is the man who already knows how to fish, thank you very much, but has no fishing pole.

[dianavilliers.livejournal.com]

Not only does he know how to fish, but he knows that a net will work better in his river, and given the cash he will choose that over a pole, thankyouverymuch.

[sebkha.livejournal.com]

He might buy a sword instead, declare ownership of the river by right of conquest, and charge people to fish there under his protection.

[franklanguage.livejournal.com]

In my neighborhood they might just use it to buy drugs and booze.

[theweaselking.livejournal.com]

#1: Your neighbourhood likely isn't much like the ones in the study.
#2: I suspect that "about a year's pay, for making a business plan and taking training in how to run that business" might still produce similar results in terms of new businesses, or at least attempts at them.

[kla10.livejournal.com]

>they might just use it to buy drugs and booze.


Excellent! More business for the breweries, distillers, and cannabis dispensaries. Dozens of hardworking employees get to keep their jobs.

[peristaltor.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure if it's the same study, but one of the NPR outlets did a story on it (This American Life or Planet Money, not sure which). I was surprised how resistant the traditional NGOs were to the very concept. Outright hostile they sounded, in fact.

[cyprinella]

Well of course. It destroys their entire business model.