Review of Poverty, Inc. (2015) by Epifania A — 04 Apr 2016

Michael Matheson Miller's "Poverty, Inc." not only tells us it's time to re-think poverty, but also points to the dangers in maintaining development aid, as it currently stands, as a "system of paternalism" in which 'poor people' have become the clients of a global poverty industry littered with Republics of NGOs, plus what George Ayittey describes as a "hippo generation" that monopolises political power and continues the "same old Aid boondoggle" by keeping their nations as "economic slaves" (in Bishop John Rucyahana's words) to the IMF and the World Bank. Yes, this documentary is taking no prisoners in its critique of the international development industry, some of which can be found in the below commentary:

"When humanitarian aid becomes a way of life, then we all have a big problem." Magatte Wade.

"I talked to a Haitian who said, first we had colonialism; then we had neocolonialism; then neo neocolonialism; and now we have développement." Timothy Schwartz.

"Everyone in development knows there's something rotten." Timothy Schwartz.

"So they got the best of both worlds: their government paid, we did the work, they got the money. That's not development. That's not assistance. That's thuggery!" Herman Chinery-Hesse.

"I've never heard of a country that developed on aid. If you know of one, let me know. I know about countries that developed on trade, and innovation and business. I don't know of any country that got so much aid that they suddenly became a first world country." Herman Chinery-Hesse.

"But unfortunately, giving on a large scale distorts." Theodore Dalrymple.

"But compassion is not simply vehement expression of a point of view. And that the compassionate person has to consider the practical effects of what he is proposing." Theodore Dalrymple.

"I'm frustrated with this idea that poverty means living on one or two dollars a day. That is a very bad way to state the problem. Being poor has something to do with being excluded from networks of productivity and exchange. That means cell phones, Internet, banks, financial systems, educational systems." Andreas Widmer.

"Having a heart for the poor, isn't hard. We all have that. But having a mind for the poor, that's the challenge. Can we treat them as equals, as partners, as colleagues? Can we allow them to put the locus of responsibility for their own future on themselves? And then be willing to be guided by their vision?" Michael Fairbanks.

All of the above arguments are spot-on in their analyses of what ails the development industry. This makes "Poverty, Inc."a powerful piece of filmmaking indeed; however, it not only highlights the pitfalls (and challenges) in development, but also (rather unfortunately) the fact that there is hardly any representation of themselves--by "the poor"--in this documentary. This is a real shame when considering that the message here is that the so-called poor need to have a place at the table of our collective (but diverse and plural) economic, social, cultural, human, and too spiritual development.

Still, be sure to watch "Poverty, Inc."!