Free Custom «Beyond Aid» Essay Paper

Why is Robert Zoellick’s article titled “beyond aid”? What needs to be done to promote development in this new, rapidly changing era?  Do you agree with Zoellick? Explain why or why not.

Humanity has entered a new era that can be characterized by equality, disregarding  labels and a vast range of new opportunities. The President of the World Bank Group, R. B. Zoellick, assures that the world is ready for dramatic changes. He emphasizes that society is at the threshold of the world “Beyond Aid”. This phrase may be analyzed from different points of view and from various angles. At the regional level, the phrase “Beyond Aid” can be characterized as an integration with the aim to push markets forward, boost trade and invest in infrastructure. From the international point of view, “Beyond Aid” means numerous innovations that stimulate progress and competition. According to the practical considerations, the phrase “Beyond Aid” deals with adequate management, direction, openness, and transparency of governing. A shift into the new world will definitely reduce poverty around the globe. Everyone, including entrepreneurs and businessmen, should be encouraged to join the movement towards new society (Zoellick, 2011).

The article by Robert B. Zoellick is titled “Beyond Aid” for several reasons. According to the author, our society has to alter the out-of-date phenomena and labels. All people and countries are equal. The differentiation among “them” and “us”, “rich” and “poor”, “First World” and “Third World” can be considered as an old-fashioned, vague and obscure distinction (Zoellick, 2011). The author stresses that developed, developing and underdeveloped nations are obliged to interact with each other. However, taking into account the title of the article, humanitarian aid and financial assistance are not enough. The aid alone has no chances to change this world for better. The aim of the symbolic designation “Beyond Aid” is not a charity, but a mutual agreement to build a new society through the combined efforts (Zoellick, 2011).

Having analyzed the plot of the article, I believe that Robert B. Zoellick’s ideas are worth to be understood and followed. In my opinion, peace, cooperation and mutual assistance will be beneficial for the creation of new society. If all countries around the globe accept positions of responsible stakeholders, the global economy will certainly prosper in the nearest future. I support the viewpoint of the author, as I believe that it is a great time of “tectonic shifts” and global displacements (Zoellick, 2011).

Analysis of the Article

With the help of the article “Beyond Aid”, the president of the World Bank Group, R. B. Zoellick, insists on the urgent need to change the rules and laws of present governance and management of countries. The article is divided into chapters with subheadings in order to provide persuasive reasons and demonstrative examples that explain why these changes are essential. The author assures that all countries around the world, including China, America, and India, are ready to leave the past behind and think about the future (Zoellick, 2011).

R. B. Zoellick mentions the book called Thinking in Time by two famous professors from the Harvard University. According to this book, history plays a crucial role in the life of different nations. History does not provide the mankind with ready answers, but suggests numerous options and gives time to think. Correspondingly, since the crises, tragedies and catastrophes have happened in the past, people are given a chance to avoid similar mistakes in the future. The author of the article “Beyond Aid” insists that present society can be characterized by a vast range of problems, weaknesses and misdoings. Nowadays, the mankind has entered a new epoch that is destined to become an era of transformations and shifts in all spheres of life (Zoellick, 2011).

R. B. Zoellick emphasizes that “tectonic plates are becoming displaced”. The author does not speak about geology, but about changes in governance, management and global economy. For instance, developing countries are compared with engines that are pushing the global economy forward. At present, developing countries are stimulating the global economy to “turn around” and to develop (Zoellick, 2011). It is estimated that such countries as Brazil, Indonesia, and India will soon be characterized by the well-developed economies. The president of the World Bank Group claims that very soon 32 provinces of China will turn into 32 powerful and independent countries. From one point of view, China can be regarded as an incomparable leader in the economic sphere. From the other point of view, China faces challenges connected with inequality, environmental pollution, resource depletion, and demographics decline.

Moreover, the author pays attention to the fact that no country in the world has a chance to develop its economy separately from other countries. Such nations as America and Japan should be ready to share their innovations in the spheres of technology, investment and security with other nations. Cooperation, mutual understanding and support are a pledge of success not for separate economies, but for the whole world.

The author has decided to entitle the article “Beyond Aid” for several basic reasons. Surely, humanitarian and financial assistance will stimulate the developing countries to evolve and gain better results. However, this aid, according to the author’s point of view, is not enough. It is a temporary and unreliable push for the development. To counterbalance it, cooperation and teamwork will guarantee the long-term and permanent growth. Humanitarian, as well as financial, assistance will always be needed in the cases of natural disasters, famines, and other catastrophes. For the world “Beyond Aid”, assistance is only a tiny component of integration and collaboration (Zoellick, 2011).

Finally, Robert B. Zoellick emphasizes that he, as a head of the World Bank Group, is responsible for the democratization of the society, transparency of politics, and investments in infrastructure, factories and firms. As a result, the world “Beyond Aid” will definitely be realized in the nearest future, if all countries agree to cooperation, teamwork and mutual assistance. There are many opponents, who criticize this approach due to possible risk, drastic nature, and radicalism. The author of the article is convinced that it is the right time to think about the future and to be ready for changes. All nations and nationalities deserve absolute equality and have equivalent chances for the development, change and prosperity.