MovieChat Forums > Poverty, Inc. (2016) Discussion > Amazing film, but more questions.

Amazing film, but more questions.

posted 8 years ago by rosatran
1 reply | jump to latest

I loved this film. But one of my questions are: in today's world, is there no room for societies outside of capitalism and modernity? I know I'm taking a romantic view. But with an increasing population, it seems to me that tribal societies, whether nomadic or subsistence farming or hunter gatherers, will disappear. Another question is how willing are western markets today to give up power over continents like Africa, who are rich in natural resources? I think the poverty business is one of many ways the western world maintains control over the third world. Would love to hear anyone's thoughts!

[–] al666940-3 8 years ago

You need to understand two things to make sense of the poverty business:
- Foreign aid: unless temporary and for a disaster (WWII, tsunami, etc), it does more harm than good because it's designed to help the donor country, not the recipient (force recipient to implement policies that benefit donor, must spend money on the donor companies instead of local ones, turn recipient into a consumer of donor products, etc). Military aid is different (geopolitical goals here rule).
- Rich countries want markets (consumers), raw materials (poor countries are rich in them) and cheap products (for the stuff they don't want to manufacture themselves). Last thing they want is COMPETITORS, hence why foreign aid is designed to cripple and keep recipient countries crippled (exception being Europe after WWII, they were helping already rich/developed countries get back on their feet and keep them away from Soviet influence, not poor countries join the rich club).

Once you get those facts straight, things suddenly become clear. A little too clear in fact.