The Lies We Tell About Foreign Aid
In his new book, Pablo Yanguas argues that fudged numbers, shallow aid projects and politics have created a dysfunctional aid system.
Politicians lie about foreign aid to win votes.
Charities lie about the impact of foreign aid to stay funded.
Aid workers lie to themselves about the impact of a project.
In a new book called Why We Lie About Aid: Development And The Messy Politics Of Change, Pablo Yanguas explains how these mischaracterizations have created a dysfunctional aid system that hurts the people who need help most.
We spoke to Yanguas, a research fellow with the at the University of Manchester, about his book. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
