How we set the poverty trap for Africans
The figures are widely available. The Institute of Economic Affairs in London, for example, has calculated that EU agriculture policy has reduced African export potential by 90% in the case of dairying alone.
The problems facing Africa are immense: war, dictatorship and gangsterism. But we contribute to their problems by effectively blocking them out of our agricultural and food processing markets by using tariffs while artificially undercutting them in their own markets with export subsidies. Given that Africa is primarily dependent on agriculture, this is particularly devastating.
Mr Herlihy’s attack on NGOs is unjust. Contrary to his claims, they generally work in relative anonymity, with limited resources which they use to greatest effect. To imply that people are starving because the NGOs aren’t doing enough is outrageous. Think of the lives they could save with just a fraction of the €50 billion CAP budget.
Given that low corporation tax encourages investment, creates jobs and shortens dole queues, I see no reason why he should hope I would be against this, given his false assumption that I also object to social welfare.
My only objection to social welfare is when it further enriches the rich at the expense of the poor, as in the case of subsidising the wealthiest farmers by the greatest amounts. Nobody ever got rich on a dole queue.
James McGrath
Birchgrove
Hollyford
Co Tipperary
