Zubon comments on Another Call to End Aid to Africa - Less Wrong

8 [deleted] 03 April 2009 06:55PM

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Comment author: Zubon 06 April 2009 04:13:44PM 0 points [-]

On the marginal effects of 1%: Median US personal income is around $30,000. How many offers do you think you can successfully complete of the form, "I will give you $300 if you..."? People will take moderate risks of humiliation, injury, and arrest for far less. Your problem might be offering too much and making people suspicious.

Zimbabwe's GDP is $2 billion. Even assuming 90% waste in claiming your 1% share, that is $2 million per year. I am suddenly surprised that we see so few atrocities; perhaps the potential despots are killing each other first.