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The Road to Hell: The Ravaging Effects of Foreign Aid and International Charity, Michael Maren (New York: The Free Press, 1997) 302 pp., ISBN 0-68482800-6, $39.95.
If one chooses to follow Michael Maren down The Road to Hell, they will find that it is occupied by almost everyone in the humanitarian aid community. Everyone, that is, except for the author and perhaps a few colleagues of his choosing.
From his opening remarks to the last sentence, Maren exposes ill-informed field workers, self-interested managers, lethargic bureaucrats, crooked politicians and military personnel who all feed off the "humanitarian business". Neither individuals nor organizations are safe from his onslaught.
The strength of The Road to Hell lies in its ability to shed light on many of the problems which have plagued humanitarian organizations and operations. Likewise, it highlights the political context in which various efforts have been conducted. The aid community is one that may rely heavily on government contracts. It can also be manipulated by governments or other agents. Those...