Introduction

The book authored by Giles Bolton, is an eye-opener and a critique of the western approach to lift Africa from poverty. The author addresses - why Africa being resourceful could not lift itself from the poverty? Why is it that it needs the help of the developed countries? How the aid of billions of dollars is misused by the African Government? How the west with its unorganized aid program crippled the nation? Dividing the book into five sections—poverty, aid, trade, globalization, and change—he analyses the issues, with stories about real people in Africa and experiences from his own years in the aid industry.

On his first visit to Kenya, to meet a friend, Giles Bolton ends up in deciding that he would start his aid industry career there. He through the incidents and experiences during the visit describes the scenic beauty, backwardness and poverty of the continent. He identifies that the continent needs internal reorganization more than the benevolence of the west. He says Corruption, conflict, and lack of democracy are the three major problems of Africa and poverty is the cause for these. Africa is stuck in the viscous cycle in which poverty induces corruption and vice-verse.

He says “This book is written for people who are concerned about Africa but don't understand why it's still so poor. While there is quite a bit of good academic material out there, most of it isn't very accessible and it doesn't answer the direct questions most of us want answered.”

He says that every year promises are made by the G8 countries but are never kept. He argues that Africa is not able to benefit from globalization because of the unfair trade policies and subsidizing of indigenous products by the developed nations. He ask them to “think, act, and shop” because every economy is interrelated in the era of globalization and it is their money which is