Is U.S. Foreign Aid Effective?

INTRODUCTION

The U.S. has a long history of providing foreign aid based on its “national security, commercial, and humanitarian interests” (USAFacts). In the wake of World War II, President Harry Truman announced a doctrine of global intervention. His belief in the necessary role of the U.S. on the world stage was codified in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1948, commonly referred to as the Marshall Plan. This initial effort had two primary purposes: “to rebuild Europe after the devastation caused by World War II and to prevent the Soviet Union…from spreading its communist ideology and influence in Western Europe” (CFR Education).

Since the emergence of these earliest forms of modern U.S. foreign aid during the Cold War, U.S. foreign support has continually shifted and changed based on relevant policy priorities and goals. For example, in 2022, the U.S. provided the most foreign aid to Ukraine, Israel, Ethiopia, Afghanistan, and Yemen (USAFacts). However, regionally, Sub-Saharan Africa received the most U.S. foreign aid in this same year – largely for fighting AIDS (CFR Education). In total, the U.S. currently spends an average of $51 billion each year on foreign assistance and contributes support to approximately 175 countries and territories worldwide (Congress.gov).

Advocates of foreign aid state that such investments “promote global stability, advance US national security interests, and address humanitarian needs” (USAFacts). Supporters of U.S. foreign aid note that such support saves lives, counters global threats via ‘soft power’, expands U.S. commercial interests, and promotes American ideals. However, opponents of U.S. foreign aid often point to the failure of our country’s contributions to achieve policy goals, such as during the ongoing War on Terror and attempts to contain Communism in Latin America during the 1960s (CFR Education). These opponents also argue that U.S. foreign aid contributions are costly, wrought with fraud and waste, sometimes promote inappropriate goals, regimes, and policies, and rely too heavily on public sector financing with little private sector support (Congress.gov).

So what do you think? This deliberation presents fourteen video clips, five articles, and numerous educational activities to guide students through a review of the debate over whether U.S. foreign aid is effective. After a careful review of multiple perspectives, students will determine their answer to the question and be presented with several optional extensions to take an active role in the debate.

Objectives and Outcomes

  • Students will be able to describe key vocabulary terms and concepts associated with the debate surrounding whether U.S. foreign aid is effective.

  • Students will be able to identify and explain aspects of the debate surrounding whether U.S. foreign aid is effective, including those arguments related to humanitarianism, international relations and competition, policy priorities, fraud and waste, and economics, among others.

  • Students will be able to evaluate arguments related to the debate surrounding whether U.S. foreign aid is effective and formulate an opinion on this question.