Taking sides on African issues

William Moseley's third edition of the book "Taking Sides: Clashing Views on African Issues" provides its readers with insight on conditions in Africa. The author mainly intended the book's main public to be students and individuals that generally have limited knowledge relating to Africa. The book goes across a series of issues concerning Africa, each being backed by essays presenting pro and counter arguments.

Issue number fifteen is called "Should Developed Countries Provide Debt Relief to the Poorest, Indebted African Nations?." Dorothy Logie and Michel Rowson claim that it is actually a moral duty for Developed Countries to support the countries in need. Their essay, "Poverty and Health: Debt Relief Could Help Achieve Human Rights" brings forward Human Rights, and health as being one of these rights. Thus, poor nations should not be discriminated because of their condition, as they should receive support from the more developed countries.

Robert Snyder's article "Proclaiming Jubilee-for Whom?" is meant to argue against those that believe developed countries to bring financial support to their poor counterparts.

In Snyder's opinion, it is unlikely that the assistance provided by the world's most influential countries would reach its goal of sustaining those in need. It is generally known that corruption is very common in poor countries, given the fact that the masses are powerless while most leaders are mainly interested in their well-being.

In spite of the various strong points that Snyder uses to support his claims, it is unlikely that it is impossible for debt relief to eventually reach its goal if it is monitored by a process meant to discourage corruption.

Logie and Rowson lobby against people like Snyder, arguing that it is actually possible for debt relief to be efficient if it were to be under supervision. Their theory involving human rights and health as one of the foremost human rights is certainly convincing, proving that it is even more than a moral duty for the rich countries to help those in need, as it is their actual job to do so.

Poor countries feel obliged to turn to debt in order to deal with poverty, but they do not realize that debt is one of the main factors influencing their state. Moreover, debt makes poverty more intense, as it lessens the probability that a poor country will ever emerge out of its condition.