Colonialism and Aid Impose "Saviorhood" Over Local Agency - Episode Hero Image

Colonialism and Aid Impose "Saviorhood" Over Local Agency

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TL;DR

  • Colonial powers justified conquest by claiming to bring development, imposing violence to enforce their "saviorhood" and stripping locals of freedom and self-determination.
  • Modern development efforts, while less violent than colonialism, can still represent a form of paternalistic "saviorhood" that prioritizes external metrics over local agency.
  • Agency, defined as the ability of people to choose their own destinies, is a crucial benchmark for well-being, more so than material poverty relief or GDP growth alone.
  • Liberal thinkers like Adam Smith and John Stuart Mill emphasized consent and choice as the foundation for progress, viewing trade as a positive-sum game enabling mutual benefit.
  • Economists have historically fought against subjugation by asserting the equal dignity of all human beings, countering arguments that justified coercion based on perceived material benefits.
  • Freedom, when valued as an end in itself rather than solely for its material outcomes, is a powerful argument for liberal policies, though this perspective has waned in modern discourse.
  • The "doing something" impulse in policy can be worse than "doing nothing," as interventions, even well-intentioned ones, can inadvertently cause harm by disregarding local agency and context.

Deep Dive

William Easterly's book, Violent Saviors: The West's Conquest of the Rest, argues that Western colonialism and subsequent development efforts, though differing in degree of violence, share a paternalistic "saviorhood" complex that prioritizes imposed material progress over individual agency and self-determination. This approach, historically justified by claims of bringing development, ultimately disempowers the very populations it purports to help, highlighting a fundamental tension between imposed solutions and genuine human well-being.

The core of Easterly's critique lies in the concept of "agency," which he defines as the right to choose one's own destiny and consent to one's own progress. He contrasts this with the focus on objective indicators like poverty rates and GDP, arguing that these metrics fail to capture the essential human desire for self-governance and dignity. This perspective is rooted in the liberal tradition, championed by thinkers like Adam Smith and John Stuart Mill, who viewed freedom and consent not merely as means to material prosperity, but as ends in themselves. Easterly draws parallels between colonial powers imposing their will and the Soviet Union's pursuit of economic progress through coercion, both of which resulted in significant loss of agency. He contends that even well-intentioned foreign aid and development initiatives often replicate this paternalistic model, making decisions for recipients rather than empowering them to make their own. This is exemplified by the criticism of practices like forced abortions under China's one-child policy, which achieved material reduction in population but at immense cost to individual autonomy.

The implications of Easterly's argument are profound for how we approach global development and aid. He suggests that true progress requires a shift from top-down, technocratic solutions to models that prioritize local consent and self-determination. This principle extends to historical defenses of slavery, where arguments for material improvement were effectively countered by liberal thinkers emphasizing the inherent violation of consent and dignity. The critique of "doing something" over "doing nothing" is also central; often, well-intentioned interventions can be worse than inaction if they disregard local agency and context. Furthermore, Easterly highlights the persistent appeal of mercantilism, a zero-sum view of trade that prioritizes national surpluses over mutual benefit, mirroring the broader paternalistic tendency to impose expert-defined goals.

Ultimately, Easterly posits that despite the intellectual market often favoring utilitarian outcomes, liberal ideas centered on freedom, dignity, and consent have gradually advanced globally, even if the arguments for them are frequently lost. The reduction of overt colonial violence and the rise of trade as a dominant international relation are seen as hopeful, albeit imperfect, manifestations of this progress. However, the impulse towards paternalism, whether in international development, economic policy, or even family life, remains a significant challenge. The core takeaway is that genuine progress requires respecting and enabling the agency of individuals and communities to define and pursue their own well-being, rather than imposing external definitions of what that well-being should entail.

Action Items

  • Audit colonial justifications: Analyze 3 historical instances where "development" was used to legitimize conquest, identifying the specific claims made and the underlying motivations.
  • Evaluate foreign aid programs: For 3-5 current aid initiatives, assess the degree to which they prioritize recipient agency and consent versus externally imposed solutions.
  • Measure progress beyond GDP: Develop a framework to assess development outcomes for 2-3 countries, incorporating metrics for agency, dignity, and self-determination alongside material well-being.
  • Analyze trade policy impact: Examine 3 historical trade agreements, evaluating whether they fostered mutual benefit and consent or reflected mercantilist zero-sum thinking.
  • Document "doing nothing" scenarios: Identify 2-3 policy areas where inaction or minimal intervention proved more beneficial than active intervention, citing specific outcomes.

Related Episodes

Key Quotes

"one of the big ideas of the book is how much western conquest of the rest colonialism in general was justified by the western mission to bring development to the rest of the world so the conquest of america of africa of asia was justified by saying you know we're bringing development to these guys so they're going to be better off so we're going to be their saviors but of course conquest involves violence you conquer because you defeat the military resistance of the locals and you maintain your rule through violence"

William Easterly explains that the title "Violent Saviors" captures the oxymoron of colonialism, where conquest and violence were justified by the stated mission of bringing development and progress to colonized populations. This highlights the inherent contradiction in imposing "saviorhood" through forceful means.

"agency is often seen as a rather arcane concern for people experiencing extreme deprivation aid agencies make some effort to recognize agency by deploying even more ponderous jargon like empowerment community driven development participatory development partnerships for development country led development and consult consultations with stakeholders and civil society it is hard to see how the intended beneficiaries of aid really get a voice from all this"

William Easterly points out that despite development jargon aimed at empowering communities, the concept of agency--the ability of individuals to make their own choices--is often overlooked for those facing severe hardship. He questions whether these complex terms truly grant beneficiaries a meaningful voice or if they merely mask a lack of genuine participation.

"the emergence of liberalism during the colonial era has made possible the somewhat more benevolent world of development we see today so you know certainly there are there is violence some violence and development today but it's obviously much less than it was during the colonial era and i'm not going to be equating some violence with extreme violence i'm not doing that what i am saying is the emergence of liberalism the emergence of liberal thinkers like adam smith john stuart mill ludwig von mises you know later on much later on marcuse was partly in response to this history of colonial violence saviors"

William Easterly clarifies that while acknowledging the violence of colonialism, he distinguishes it from modern development efforts, which have been shaped by the emergence of liberal thought. He argues that thinkers like Adam Smith and John Stuart Mill reacted to the violent nature of colonial "saviors," and their ideas continue to be relevant even in less extreme contemporary development contexts.

"but is material poverty relief a reliable indicator that people will be better off if they have no agency to say so should poverty rates and gdp be the only measure of progress"

William Easterly questions the sole reliance on material indicators like poverty rates and GDP to measure progress, suggesting that these metrics may not fully capture well-being if individuals lack agency. He implies that true progress should also consider people's ability to make their own choices and direct their own lives.

"mercantilist views are still around today as if the object of policy should be to make everything at home smith's original insight is as compelling as ever if achieving trade surpluses is the goal there is an unresolvable conflict between nations if one nation is running a surplus one or more other nations must be running a trade deficit mercantilism sees trade as a zero sum game policymakers compete with each other to make their nation the one with the trade surplus by restricting imports the competition will kill off international trade and both sides will be worse off"

William Easterly critiques mercantilism, explaining that it views trade as a zero-sum game where one nation's gain is another's loss, leading to protectionist policies that ultimately harm all involved. He contrasts this with Adam Smith's insight that trade, when focused on meeting demand, is a positive-sum activity where both parties benefit.

"the only place that i would say it's healthy which is in the family paternalism and maternalism um and when our children are young of course we are paternalistic towards them we keep them out of harm's way we keep them away from traffic and touching the stove when it's on and so on and children don't like that by the way"

William Easterly uses the analogy of parenting to illustrate the complex nature of paternalism, noting that while it can be necessary for the safety of young children, it is often resented. He suggests this personal experience of being controlled as a child can help understand why adults, particularly in broader societal or international contexts, resist being treated paternalistically.

Resources

External Resources

Books

  • Violent Saviors: The West's Conquest of the Rest by William Easterly - Discussed as the subject of the conversation, exploring how Western conquest and colonialism were justified by a mission to bring development, often involving violence.
  • The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith - Referenced for its insights on trade, consent, and choice, and its critique of colonialism.
  • The Theory of Moral Sentiments by Adam Smith - Mentioned for its passage on the "man of system" and its observations on the dignity of individuals.

Articles & Papers

  • "The Tyranny of Experts" - Mentioned as the topic of William Easterly's previous appearance on EconTalk in June 2014.
  • Essay series on the library of economics and liberty by David Levy and Sandra Pert - Referenced for their work on the role economists played in fighting against slavery.

People

  • William Easterly - Guest, economist, and author of "Violent Saviors: The West's Conquest of the Rest."
  • Russ Roberts - Host of EconTalk, affiliated with Shalem College and Stanford University's Hoover Institution.
  • Adam Smith - Referenced as a liberal thinker whose ideas on consent and choice are relevant to understanding historical and modern development.
  • John Stuart Mill - Mentioned as a liberal economist and thinker who reacted against violent saviors and emphasized consent and choice.
  • Ludwig von Mises - Referenced as a liberal thinker.
  • Kant - Referenced as a philosopher whose writings counterbalanced human dignity against violations.
  • Frederick Douglass - Invoked as a liberal thinker and eloquent opponent of the "man of system" viewpoint, advocating for agency and self-determination for Black people.
  • Abraham Lincoln - Quoted regarding the concept of benevolent slavery.
  • Amartya Sen - Referenced as a modern thinker who emphasized consent and choice, and author of "Development as Freedom."
  • Robert Fogel - Mentioned as a modern economic historian who argued about the material consumption of slaves.
  • Thomas Carlyle - Referenced as a proponent of benevolent slavery.
  • Harriet Martineau - Mentioned as a liberal economist who supported the argument for consent and choice.
  • Lenin - Discussed in relation to the communist revolution and its impact on agency and freedom.
  • Stalin - Discussed in relation to the communist revolution, five-year plans, and the famine in Ukraine.
  • Thomas Leonard - Mentioned for his work on the founders of the American Economic Association and their implicit justification of eugenics.
  • Alfred Marshall - Referenced as one of the founders of the American Economic Association.
  • Milton Friedman - Referenced as a proponent of freedom as an end in itself.
  • P.T. Bauer - Referenced as a development economist who argued freedom should be an end in itself.
  • David Levy - Co-author of an essay series on the library of economics and liberty regarding economists fighting against slavery.
  • Sandra Pert - Co-author of an essay series on the library of economics and liberty regarding economists fighting against slavery.
  • Bruce Bueno de Mesquita - Mentioned for a previous EconTalk episode on King Leopold and the Congo.
  • King Leopold - Discussed in relation to his rule in the Congo.
  • Joseph Kony - Mentioned as an evil warlord in Uganda around whom a campaign was organized.
  • Nicholas Kristof - Discussed in relation to his views on interventions in Africa and his debate with African intellectuals.
  • Don B. Sam O'Malley - Mentioned as a figure who emphasized dignity and respect in Africa.
  • My Gway - Mentioned as a figure who emphasized dignity and respect in Africa.
  • Tedju Cole - Author of an argument about the "white savior industrial complex" in Africa.

Organizations & Institutions

  • EconTalk - Podcast and associated website (econtalk.org).
  • Library of Economics and Liberty - Associated with EconTalk.
  • Shalem College - Affiliation of host Russ Roberts.
  • Stanford University's Hoover Institution - Affiliation of host Russ Roberts.
  • New York University - Affiliation of William Easterly as professor emeritus.
  • Soviet Union - Discussed in relation to its history of claimed development, loss of agency, and violence.
  • American Economic Association - Referenced in relation to its founders and their emphasis on scientific analysis.
  • Uganda - Mentioned in the context of the campaign against Joseph Kony and African agency.

Other Resources

  • Colonialism - Discussed as a historical practice justified by a mission to bring development, often involving violence.
  • Slavery - Discussed in relation to its moral arguments, benevolent slavery, and the role of economists in fighting against it.
  • Foreign Aid - Discussed in relation to modern paternalistic attempts to improve the lives of others.
  • Development - Discussed in theory, history, and politics, with a focus on agency and consent.
  • Agency - Discussed as the ability of people to choose for themselves, a key concept in liberal thought.
  • Empowerment - Mentioned as jargon used by aid agencies to recognize agency.
  • Community Driven Development - Mentioned as jargon used by aid agencies to recognize agency.
  • Participatory Development - Mentioned as jargon used by aid agencies to recognize agency.
  • Partnerships for Development - Mentioned as jargon used by aid agencies to recognize agency.
  • Country Led Development - Mentioned as jargon used by aid agencies to recognize agency.
  • Consultations with Stakeholders - Mentioned as jargon used by aid agencies to recognize agency.
  • Poverty Rates - Discussed as a metric for progress, contrasted with agency.
  • GDP (Gross Domestic Product) - Discussed as a metric for progress, contrasted with agency.
  • Liberalism - Discussed in its old-fashioned sense of being pro-liberty.
  • Mercantilism - Discussed as a historical economic view that trade is a zero-sum game, contrasted with Adam Smith's view of trade as a positive-sum game.
  • Trade Surpluses - Discussed in relation to mercantilism.
  • Trade Deficits - Discussed in relation to mercantilism.
  • Zero-Sum Game - Concept applied to trade from a mercantilist perspective.
  • Positive-Sum Game - Concept applied to trade from Adam Smith's perspective.
  • Commerce - Discussed as an engine for achieving mutual consent and a positive-sum game.
  • Dignity - Discussed as a human demand that is often neglected in development efforts.
  • Self-determination - Discussed as a human demand.
  • Consent - Discussed as a key benchmark of well-being and progress.
  • Choice - Discussed as a key benchmark of well-being and progress.
  • Freedom - Discussed as an end in itself and its impact on material well-being.
  • Utilitarianism - Discussed as a modern approach that values outcomes.
  • Eugenics - Mentioned in relation to the founders of the American Economic Association.
  • Minimum Wage - Discussed as an example where the argument of freedom of contract gets little traction.
  • Universal Basic Income (UBI) - Discussed as a concept where poverty is alleviated with money without necessarily finding opportunities or education.
  • Benevolent Autocrats - Discussed in relation to dictators who raise GDP or reduce poverty rates.
  • Value-Free Development - Discussed as an idea that development analysis can be value-free, concentrating only on poverty.
  • Family - Mentioned as a factor people care about beyond material well-being.
  • Weddings and Funerals - Discussed as expenditures that are family-oriented and sometimes criticized by outside experts.
  • Education - Discussed as a potential investment that is sometimes prioritized over family events.
  • Investing in Cows - Mentioned as an alternative investment.
  • Paternalism - Discussed in relation to parenting, colonial efforts, and interventions in developing countries.
  • Child Races - A phrase used to describe colonial attitudes towards indigenous populations.
  • Man of System - A concept from Adam Smith's Theory of Moral Sentiments describing individuals who want to move people around as if they were chess pieces.
  • Emancipation - Discussed in relation to Frederick Douglass's advocacy during the Civil War.
  • Colonization (of Black people back to Africa) - Discussed as a pre-Civil War movement that Black leaders like Frederick Douglass showed no interest in.
  • Freedmen - Discussed in relation to post-Civil War efforts to help them.
  • White Philanthropy - Discussed in relation to paternalistic wards.
  • Doing Nothing vs. Doing Something - Discussed as a policy debate where "doing something" that makes things worse is often chosen over "doing nothing."
  • Effective Altruism Movement - Mentioned in the context of philanthropic efforts to improve the lives of those materially worse off.
  • China - Mentioned as an example of extraordinary material transformation alongside atrocities.
  • India - Mentioned as an example of extraordinary material transformation.
  • Great Famine - Mentioned as an atrocity that occurred in China.
  • One Child Policy - Mentioned as an atrocity in China that involved forced abortion.
  • Childhood - Used as a metaphor to understand paternalism and the desire for agency.
  • Childhood Independence - Discussed in relation to children resenting parental control and eventually wanting freedom.
  • Retirement Planning - Discussed in relation to individual responsibility versus social security.
  • Investment Decisions - Discussed in relation to individual choice and the role of markets.
  • Index Funds - Mentioned as an investment vehicle.
  • Scam Artists - Mentioned as a risk in financial markets.
  • Met Consent - Discussed as the right to consent to how much one wants to emphasize the right to consent.
  • White Savior Industrial Complex - A concept discussed in relation to interventions in Africa.

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