The hottest Foreign Aid Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top World Politics Topics

Slightly Against The "Other People's Money" Argument Against Aid

Astral Codex Ten • 13145 implied HN points • 23 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Aid
  1. The “other people’s money” critique misses key facts: voters also pay the taxes they support and supporters often hold most of the wealth, so backing foreign aid isn’t just a way to avoid personal sacrifice.
  2. Psychological and coordination issues better explain why people vote for aid but don’t donate: virtue signaling, the desire for clean ‘problem solved’ stories, assurance-contract transaction costs, and time-inconsistent preferences push people toward collective solutions.
  3. Government can legitimately reduce coordination and self-control problems, but that creates fairness questions; one practical compromise is default funding with a clear opt-out on tax forms so long-term preferences are honored without coercing everyone.

Iran: We're Ending Taxpayer-Funded Appeasement

OpenTheBooks Substack • 263 implied HN points • 03 Mar 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Aid
  1. Taxpayer-funded policies sent large financial benefits to Iran that helped fund its proxies, and that practice must end.
  2. Foreign aid has been disjointed and sometimes funded wasteful or ideologically driven projects, so aid should be more strategic and focused on effective priorities.
  3. Any country receiving U.S. security or economic assistance should publish a real-time, searchable database of government spending so taxpayers can verify use and demand accountability.

Sorry, I Still Think MR Is Wrong About USAID

Astral Codex Ten • 36891 implied HN points • 29 May 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Aid
  1. There's a big debate about how much money from USAID goes to charities and how much is wasted. Some people think a lot is wasted, while others argue it’s not as bad as it seems.
  2. The overhead costs of big charities like Catholic Relief Services can look high, but they actually spend most of their money on important stuff like food and health services, not just admin costs.
  3. It's important to figure out if local charities are actually better at helping people than American ones. Finding the right balance between efficiency and trust in aid distribution is crucial.

Money Saved By Canceling Programs Does Not Immediately Flow To The Best Possible Alternative

Astral Codex Ten • 41364 implied HN points • 06 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Aid
  1. Canceling effective programs like PEPFAR doesn't guarantee that the money will be spent on better programs. It may just sit unspent or be used for less effective initiatives.
  2. People often argue about valuing American lives more than foreign ones, but this doesn't lead to better outcomes for those in need. Many don't consider the long-term effects of cutting foreign aid.
  3. There's a need for balance in helping others. Spending a small percentage of the budget on foreign aid is reasonable, and it shouldn't diminish support for domestic needs.

U.S. Government initiated 4.5-year lawfare program against Chinese nickel mining through Indonesian labor unions

All-Source Intelligence Fusion • 488 implied HN points • 13 Jan 26
🌍 World Politics Foreign Aid
  1. The U.S. has funded a multi-year, multi-million dollar program led by C4ADS with China Labor Watch as a subawardee to target Chinese-operated nickel mining in Indonesia through labor enforcement and union engagement. This effort focuses on documenting forced labor, training workers and unions, and producing enforcement-ready evidence for regulators and courts.
  2. The program is part of a broader U.S. push to secure nickel supply chains and protect American industry after geopolitical shifts, using labor governance and legal pressure to reduce market advantages held by Chinese-backed firms. It follows increased U.S. support for domestic alternatives and lobbying by companies seeking access to nickel.
  3. The campaign combines NGO research, media work (sometimes funded quietly), and legal 'lawfare' tactics as tools of economic statecraft, echoing historical U.S. use of labor programs for geopolitical aims and prompting criticism that it is an organized effort to weaken competing Chinese industry.
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Public Choice Links, 1/24/2026

In My Tribe • 273 implied HN points • 24 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Aid
  1. Higher health-care spending per person often doesn't lead to better health outcomes. That means much medical spending is likely wasted.
  2. Large government health programs create big opportunities for fraud and rent-seeking because third-party billing is easy to exploit. Directly giving money to beneficiaries reduces those opportunities.
  3. Foreign aid can become a target for rent-seeking and help entrench corrupt governments, sometimes contributing to coups and extremist violence. This 'aid curse' shows aid can worsen, not fix, governance failures.

Review: How Africa Works

The Works in Progress Newsletter • 31 implied HN points • 26 Feb 26
🌐 International Foreign Aid
  1. Africa began with uniquely difficult endowments — low population density, weak education, concentrated landholding, and fragmented politics — and those constraints help explain its slower growth; as these preconditions improve, disciplined policies that combine land reform, export-focused industry, and directed investment could make a big difference.
  2. When smallholder farmers get secure tenure, inputs, training, and market access, productivity and poverty reduction follow reliably, making agricultural reform the clearest and most persuasive path to broad-based gains.
  3. Export-led manufacturing is a much harder route today because China dominates low-cost production, automation reduces labor intensity, and globalization has slowed, so services-led growth or other alternative paths may be more realistic for many African countries even if they produce lower-wage, lower-skill jobs.

Nationalists Already Have the World They Want but Need to Pretend Otherwise

Richard Hanania's Newsletter • 3706 implied HN points • 07 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Aid
  1. Nationalists often claim that the U.S. government prioritizes foreigners over citizens, but the reality shows that a tiny percentage of the federal budget actually goes to foreign aid. Most funds are directed towards helping American citizens.
  2. Even though nationalists argue for policies that benefit Americans, they often ignore facts about how much the government already does for its own people. This leads to misconceptions about foreign aid and immigration.
  3. The nationalist mindset may come from a tribal instinct, where they feel the need to show loyalty to their group. However, this can make them overlook the good that comes from global connections and shared interests.

Exclusive: USAID encouraged outgoing staff to apply for jobs at secretive Gaza-focused foundation

All-Source Intelligence Fusion • 1017 implied HN points • 12 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Aid
  1. USAID encouraged its former employees to apply for jobs at the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which is tied to U.S. and Israeli interests. This suggests a shift in how humanitarian aid is being organized in Gaza.
  2. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has been controversial and faced criticism since its establishment. It's seen as a secretive group with unclear funding, which raises concerns about accountability.
  3. Recent violence involving GHF staff has drawn attention to the risks they face. An attack on their team resulted in fatalities and injuries, highlighting the dangerous environment for humanitarian workers in Gaza.

On America's structural inability to effectively compete with China in Africa

An Africanist Perspective • 1345 implied HN points • 27 Mar 23
🌍 World Politics Foreign Aid
  1. The US faces challenges competing with China in Africa due to ineffective policy tools and institutions.
  2. America's focus on humanitarian aid and public health through USAID limits its ability to compete effectively with China in infrastructure and commercial projects in Africa.
  3. The structural and institutional biases within American foreign policy result in a lack of attention to African priorities, hindering the ability to effectively engage with the continent.

Why Ukraine Must Win

Diane Francis • 759 implied HN points • 21 Dec 23
🌍 World Politics Foreign Aid
  1. Ukraine needs more military aid from the US and Europe to defend itself against Russia. Without this support, Russia could gain even more territory.
  2. If Ukraine gets the right amount of funding and military equipment this year, it could turn the situation around and push back Russian advances.
  3. If Ukraine loses, it would not only be a big shift in power but could also mean more US troops in Eastern Europe to handle the aftermath.

Best of Can We Still Govern 2025: Personal Favorites

Can We Still Govern? • 66 implied HN points • 31 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Aid
  1. A presidency built around personal loyalty is eroding democratic norms and has enabled the use of armed federal forces and legal changes to target political opponents.
  2. Policy decisions like cutting foreign aid and imposing new work requirements on safety‑net programs can cause widespread human suffering and will affect millions of people.
  3. Scholarly critique, mentorship, thoughtful reporting, guest research, and direct giving matter — they shape understanding, push back on harmful policies, and provide tangible help to those in need.

What's Martin Luther King, Jr. Got to do with Gaza?

Humanities in Revolt • 339 implied HN points • 12 Jan 24
🌍 World Politics Foreign Aid
  1. Hundreds of thousands expected to participate in a mass mobilization against Israel's war in Gaza for ceasefire, end of blockade, and international law mediation.
  2. Growing international awareness and alarm over dire conditions in Gaza leads to increased turnout in historic peace marches.
  3. The principles and practices exemplified by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., such as active justice, love ethic, and opposition to economic injustice, militarism, and racism, resonate with urgent demonstrations for Gaza.

The Death of USAID

Can We Still Govern? • 275 implied HN points • 09 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Aid
  1. USAID was a key organization for helping people worldwide, especially regarding food aid and fighting diseases. Its sudden end could lead to a lot of unnecessary suffering.
  2. The actions taken against USAID relied on controversial ideas about presidential power, which some believe could harm the balance of government authority in the U.S.
  3. Misinformation and conspiracy theories played a big role in dismantling USAID, showing how unchecked beliefs from powerful individuals can lead to real-life consequences for many around the world.

Would It Be Over?

Points And Figures • 932 implied HN points • 10 Mar 24
🌍 World Politics Foreign Aid
  1. The bombing of German cities during WWII had a significant impact on post-war Germany, changing behaviors and diminishing the desire for another war.
  2. A large majority of Palestinians desire the erasure of Israel from the international map, similar to the sentiment among German citizens under Hitler in the 1940s.
  3. Complete and total war on terrorist organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah is seen as necessary for the peace of Israel and the world, rather than proposing humanitarian aid or two-state solutions.

In Ukraine, USAID aids US hegemony

Aaron Mate • 204 implied HN points • 09 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Aid
  1. The cuts to USAID by the Trump administration have hurt global relief programs that many depend on for help. This has left some critical health programs in a difficult situation.
  2. USAID is not just about helping people; it can also be used to destabilize countries and push propaganda. This means it might not always be acting in good faith.
  3. In places like Ukraine, USAID has played a big role in U.S. strategies aimed at weakening Russia, highlighting its dual purpose of aiding both humanitarian efforts and political goals.

Labour needs to make the selfish case for foreign aid

Odds and Ends of History • 670 implied HN points • 04 Jul 23
🌍 World Politics Foreign Aid
  1. Labour should make the selfish case for foreign aid to appeal to people's self-interest and make it more politically viable.
  2. Talking about foreign aid in terms of soft power and global stability can help reframe its purpose and importance.
  3. Addressing corruption in foreign aid should focus on improving practices rather than using it as an argument against aid altogether.

Those who can't do, train

Discomfort zone • 98 implied HN points • 18 Sep 23
🌍 World Politics Foreign Aid
  1. Foreign aid often assumes others do things wrong and need training from the West.
  2. Western military strategies may not work in all conflicts, even with training.
  3. The emphasis on training in foreign aid can be inefficient, wasteful, and not always effective.

Ukraine "foreign aid" bills are taxpayer-funded stimulus packages for the parasites of the D.C. Beltway

The Dossier • 354 implied HN points • 13 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Aid
  1. American 'foreign aid' to Ukraine is mostly spent in the United States, benefiting Beltway corporations
  2. Government spending on defense does not create real jobs or value, but adds to the national debt and inflation
  3. These 'foreign aid' bills serve as stimulus for the Beltway elite rather than enhancing national security

Claims about USAID's localization agenda

An Africanist Perspective • 79 implied HN points • 09 Jan 23
🌍 World Politics Foreign Aid
  1. The majority of USAID funding goes to big American companies and NGOs, raising concerns about lack of direct support to local organizations in developing countries.
  2. USAID aims to allocate at least 25% of funding to local organizations, highlighting the need for capacity building and better collaboration with local partners.
  3. Challenges in USAID's localization initiative include arbitrary overhead limitations, cost expectations, and legal hurdles, emphasizing the importance of listening to feedback from local partners.

Zelensky's Five Point Plan is Asking for Ukraine to be Treated like a Normal, Sovereign European State

Phillips’s Newsletter • 92 implied HN points • 16 Oct 24
🌍 World Politics Foreign Aid
  1. Zelensky presented a five-point plan to emphasize Ukraine's right to be treated like any other European country. This is about making Ukraine part of the normal conversation in Europe.
  2. His plan includes reasonable requests for defense support and economic partnerships, which are common for democratic nations. It shows he is not asking for special treatment.
  3. The straightforward nature of his asks indicates a balanced approach, suggesting Ukraine seeks its rightful place in Europe without making extreme demands.

Ukraine: The Self-Awareness of the Sacrificial Lamb (Part 2 of 2)

Fisted by Foucault • 174 implied HN points • 08 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics Foreign Aid
  1. The conflict in Ukraine is escalating with the fall of the city Avdiivka to Russian forces, showing the severe impacts on domestic politics and international support.
  2. The US Senate's failure to agree on sending more money to Ukraine is seen as a significant setback for their battlefield capabilities and a source of growing despair among officials.
  3. Western media's shift towards accepting that Ukraine may not achieve maximalist goals in the war signifies a changing narrative on the feasibility of certain outcomes and the need for peace negotiations.