Sunday, February 24, 2013

Chinese vs. Western Development Model in Africa

PRAXIS: The Fletcher Journal of Human Security published in 2012 an article titled "China in Africa: What the Policy of Nonintervention Adds to the Western Development Dilemma." The author is Madison Condon, a joint J.D./MALD candidate between Harvard Law School and the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.

Madison Condon/LinkedIn
The article makes the point that Chinese loans and investments are typically made in exchange for securing access to natural resources. Based on its principles of nonintervention and respect for sovereignty, "China gives this money with little or no strings attached."

The author argues that the Chinese model is a legitimate challenger to Western aid.

While the article contains some annoying imprecision as it intermingles investment, loans and aid, it does offer a useful juxtaposition of the so-called Washington and Beijing Consensus models.