No Surprise Here...

I woke up this morning and read that Paul Wolfowitz is resigning from the presidency of the World Bank. This reminds me of John Bolton being forced out as the US Ambassador to the UN. Actually, I couldn't care less since I think that these two institutions have proven over decades to completely worthless, toothless and unnecessary institutions. These two gentlemen cared enough to try recraft these places into something that was not rife with corruption and self interest, but these places have no intention and desire to change the goose that is laying the golden egg at the expense of everyone else.

I use to work at a multilateral development bank, in fact, it was the African Development Bank when it was in the Ivory Coast in West Africa, so I know quite a bit about how these institutions work and how effective they are. So why did Paul Wolfowitz and John Bolton get booted under pressure? Because these institutions are worse than worthless and the people who are invested in the way that business is done do not want agents of change to run these places.

First, the World Bank and the UN are not interested in helping the poor or protecting the defenseless [look at Darfur and what happened in Rwanda] they exist as covers for large European governments to pretend that they are doing something. In reality, these institutions support the businesses of these same European countries to maintain the status quo. European businesses [maybe excepting some British ones] cannot compete technologically or economically without some kind of government support or political cover that these institutions provide.

Second, as I wrote before, appointments to these institutions are largely plush, well paid, exciting adventures for the children of these same Westerners so that they can travel the world and see interesting new cultures. Its just an indulgence to send our children to Africa or some remote Asian village to help. Some Oxford University or University of Michigan graduate is going to these places to 'help' these people.... with what? Farming? Digging wells? Building local institutions? come on, these children know nothing about what these people need or even want. No its an education for these little tots so that when they come home, they can thank their lucky stars that they were born in the West.

So, Wolfowitz will leave his job at the World Bank. Good. The place did not deserve this fellow. Now, he will take a well paid position in private industry or at a University and he will become a productive member of society again.

I am a firm believer that if the World Bank, the UN or any other multilateral development institution suddenly disappears from the face of the earth, that it will not hurt anybody or anything. It would probably be a huge positive if these places disappeared since these institutions allowed illegitimate political and economic power to exist while providing almost no tangible benefits except for a select few. It would be good riddance.