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Analysis of issues shaping African development. April 2012
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Marchal Plan different from Africa unplanned aid
I don't agree with Wells' argument that 'Post-war Western Europe and Japan reconstructed into a modern economy through massive aid provided through the Marshall Plan, and many developing economies in East Asia (China, Korea, etc) and South Asia (e.g., India) have taken off because of large injections of external aid and, of course, the determined will and good policies of those nations."
There are deep differences than the rule of law, though this is important as well. Marshall Plan had a time line of five years and was specifically directed to reconstruct the torn apart infrastructures of Europe, not in every sector of the economy and society like in modern Africa.
Further Marshall Plan represented a small percentage of the recipient countries GDPs compared to modern Africa where 15% or more is the normal. In addition Europe had strong institutions and access to resources in their colonies to fuel their industries, this is a big difference. By the way i think the two cases of aid in history are incomparable.