Marjut Tervola
IELTS essay 2: Should foreign aid be given if there are poor people in own country? Some people believe that governments shouldn’t provide aid to other countries if they have poor and disadvantaged people within their own country. Do you agree or disagree? Some people argue that governments should stop giving foreign aid to less developing nations because there are enough poor people living in their own countries. However, it is widely agreed that the most needy people in the world should be helped. This essay will first discuss the importance of development aid and will then state why social services and foreign aid could both be provided. Firstly, foreign aid is crucial for many countries in Africa, especially to Sub-Saharan nations. This is because economies in these countries are weak and they lack private investments. According to the United Nations, foreign aid might consist of 60 percent of a country’s budget, that is the case for example in Uganda and Tanzania. Without development aid the most unstable countries would go bankrupt within a short period of time. This might lead to further problems, like wars. Thus, it is essential to continue financing aid programs which are currently running. Although there is a greater number of homeless and unemployed citizens in Western societies, it is thought that wealthy countries should take their responsibility for reducing global poverty. In my view, social services should not be offset with cuts to development aid. This would not be the will of the majority of western citizens either. For instance, in Finland, nearly 60 percent of people would like to pay more taxes in order to get better social services. In the meantime, the same people give frequently donations to charity organizations. Thus, it can be argued that both groups can be supported. In conclusion, although some people think that development aid should be cut down, I tend to think that foreign aid is the only way to end starvation and global poverty. It is predicted that the number of people living under the poverty line will drop within 50 years significantly if rich countries will continue to provide their help.
Dec 1, 2015 7:56 PM