Welcome to The Nonlinear Library, where we use Text-to-Speech software to convert the best writing from the Rationalist and EA communities into audio. This is: Netherlands plans 2.4 billion euro aid spending cut, published by freedomandutility on May 17, 2024 on The Effective Altruism Forum.
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/what-new-right-wing-dutch-government-plans-do-2024-05-16/
I sometimes feel that international development advocates are too focused on academia, philanthropies and multilateral organisations.
I think advocates should be more aware of how vulnerable aid budgets are to cuts. For governments looking to reduce budgets, cuts to foreign aid are often the politically easiest way to achieve this.
This vulnerability means that the expected value of engaging with politics to build cross-party coalitions in favour of development has a high expected-value. Even if advocates fail to increase aid budgets, they could be successful in preventing cuts.
I think there is a need for more individuals, organisations and philanthropic funders to work in politics and build cross-party coalitions in favour of development.
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