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'No Such Thing As a Free Gift' Casts a Critical Eye At Gates Foundation (theintercept.com)

Posted by Soulskill on from the how-versus-how-much dept.

theodp writes: The Intercept's Michael Massing takes a look at "How the Gates Foundation Reflects the Good and the Bad of 'Hacker Philanthropy." He writes, "Despite its impact, few book-length assessments of the foundation's work have appeared. Now Linsey McGoey, a sociologist at the University of Essex, is seeking to fill the gap. 'Just how efficient is Gates's philanthropic spending?' she asks in No Such Thing as a Free Gift. 'Are the billions he has spent on U.S. primary and secondary schools improving education outcomes? Are global health grants directed at the largest health killers? Is the Gates Foundation improving access to affordable medicines, or are patent rights taking priority over human rights?' As the title of her book suggests, McGoey answers all of these questions in the negative. The good the foundation has done, she believes, is far outweighed by the harm." Massing adds, "Bill and Melinda Gates answer to no electorate, board, or shareholders; they are accountable mainly to themselves. What's more, the many millions of dollars the foundation has bestowed on nonprofits and news organizations has led to a natural reluctance on their part to criticize it. There's even a name for it: the 'Bill Chill' effect."

3 of 156 comments (clear)

  1. It's a Criminal Organisation by segedunum · · Score: 1, Troll

    Like all these so called 'philanthropic' organisations they are designed primarily as a tax-free haven for their cash pile. Secondly, they are there to promote drugs and get people dependant on aid that makes many companies a significant amount of money. It's amazing what you can get away with under the guise of 'charity', which is why every sportsman and woman, and their dogs seem to have one.

    1. Re:It's a Criminal Organisation by segedunum · · Score: 1, Troll

      You sound like a fucking idiot. There is no possible way you can grunt childishly at the math here and claim that Gates wouldn't have a _lot_ more money if he just invested his wealth instead of running this charity.

      The last I looked sunshine Bill Gates became the richest man in the world again - by not doing anything and giving all his money away! Incredible.

      You're pretty much a fucking stupid pig, and your outlook on life is risible. Get off the conspiracy theories you fucking dipshit.

      I see the Gates Foundation astroturfers are out on day release?

    2. Re:It's a Criminal Organisation by bloodhawk · · Score: 1, Troll

      yes her complaints are fact, they are not doing what she wants. Thank fuck for that, people like her always believe they can do better but instead of actually doing better they whine about others that are actually making an effort. Gates foundation has saved millions of lives, she is butt hurt that it isn't the millions of lives she would have prioritised and that no one else got a say in who and how they made there chooses.