Search
Vocabularying
Listening
Reading
1. Academic
2. General
Writing
1. IELTSWriting Checker
2. IELTS Writing Samples
Speaking

Do you want to improve your writing? Try our new evaluation service and get detailed feedback.

It is sometimes said that governments should dedicate a fixed proportion of their country’s income to foreign aid each year, and this fixed proportion should always be donated to other countries. Opponents of this idea, however, say that aid should have no fixed proportion, and help should only be sent to other countries at times when it is really needed. What are the arguments on both sides of this debate? What is your own view on the matter?

It is sometimes said that governments should dedicate a fixed proportion of their country’s income to foreign aid each year, and this fixed proportion should always be donated to other countries. Opponents of this idea, however, say that aid should have no fixed proportion, and help should only be sent to other countries at times when it is really needed. What are the arguments on both sides of this debate? What is your own view on the matter? 7aAJb

The issue of foreign aid goes to the heart of how nations should cooperate together, and whether this should be on a ‘quota’ system or more ‘as needed. ’ In this often heated debate, the opposing arguments can perhaps be summarised as follows. Proponents of the quota system claim that wealthier nations have a moral duty to sacrifice some of their income to help poorer countries, and that this duty does not rise or fall depending on circumstances. This argument is often used to justify the quota arrangement for former imperial states such as Holland, France or Britain. Moreover, the arguments goes, the fixed proportion system allows the receiving countries to plan and budget reliably, building the foreign aid into their economic calculations. However, opponents of the fixed donation system respond that this budgetary aspect is in fact the most damaging aspect of the idea. They point out that, if aid money is provided regardless of whether it is actually needed, the funds become part of the recipient country’s administrative system, with all the dangers of inefficiency and corruption that this involves. It must be said that fixed aid to some developing countries falls into this trap, as even the local charities themselves will agree. What is more, if aid funds could be held back until times of emergency, such as floods, famine or civil war, the money available would then be far higher and thus would help more people in distress. To conclude, it appears to me that opponents of the quota system have the more robust argument, with their concerns over unnecessary donations which reduce emergency funding in future. We all recognise a moral duty to help those in need, but surely these resources should be targeted more strictly towards sufferers, rather than sent permanently to government departments to become part of the local economy.

The issue of foreign You use this word too often, consider replacing it withgiftserviceassistancebenefitsubsidycompensation
aid
 goes to the heart of how nations should cooperate together, and whether this

should be on a You use this word too often, consider replacing it withallocationallowanceallotmentmeasure
‘quota’
You use this word too often, consider replacing it withorganizationschemerulestructurearrangement
system
 or more ‘as needed. ’ In this This phrase/word is too simple and can be replaced with:frequently
often
 heated debate, the opposing arguments can

perhaps be Possible spelling mistake. 'summarised' is British English.summarized
summarised
 as follows.

Proponents of the You use this word too often, consider replacing it withallocationallowanceallotmentmeasure
quota
You use this word too often, consider replacing it withorganizationschemerulestructurearrangement
system
 claim that wealthier nations have a moral duty to sacrifice This phrase/word is too simple and can be replaced with:a number of
some
 of

their income to This phrase/word (depending on the context) can be potentially replaced with :assistassistance
help
 poorer You use this word too often, consider replacing it withlandpeopleregioncommunitysocietystate
countries
, and that this duty does not rise or fall depending on circumstances. This

argument is This phrase/word is too simple and can be replaced with:frequently
often
This phrase/word (depending on the context) can be potentially replaced with :exploited
used
 to justify the You use this word too often, consider replacing it withallocationallowanceallotmentmeasure
quota
 arrangement for former imperial states such as Holland, France or

Britain. Moreover
, the arguments goes, the This phrase/word (depending on the context) can be potentially replaced with :rectified
fixed
 proportion You use this word too often, consider replacing it withorganizationschemerulestructurearrangement
system
This phrase/word (depending on the context) can be potentially replaced with :authorizes
allows
 the receiving You use this word too often, consider replacing it withlandpeopleregioncommunitysocietystate
countries
 to plan and

budget reliably
, building the foreign You use this word too often, consider replacing it withgiftserviceassistancebenefitsubsidycompensation
aid
 into their economic calculations. However
, opponents of the This phrase/word (depending on the context) can be potentially replaced with :rectified
fixed
 donation You use this word too often, consider replacing it withorganizationschemerulestructurearrangement
system
 respond that this budgetary aspect is in fact the

most damaging aspect of the This phrase/word (depending on the context) can be potentially replaced with :thoughtconceptnotion
idea
. They point out that, if You use this word too often, consider replacing it withgiftserviceassistancebenefitsubsidycompensation
aid
 money is provided
 regardless of whether it is

actually needed, the funds become part of the recipient You use this word too often, consider replacing it withrusticbucolichomeyagrarianprovincial
country’s
 administrative You use this word too often, consider replacing it withorganizationschemerulestructurearrangement
system
, with all the This phrase/word (depending on the context) can be potentially replaced with :hazardsrisks
dangers
 of

inefficiency and corruption that this involves. It This phrase/word (depending on the context) can be potentially replaced with :require
must
be said
 that This phrase/word (depending on the context) can be potentially replaced with :rectified
fixed
You use this word too often, consider replacing it withgiftserviceassistancebenefitsubsidycompensation
aid
 to This phrase/word is too simple and can be replaced with:a number of
some
 developing You use this word too often, consider replacing it withlandpeopleregioncommunitysocietystate
countries
 falls

into this trap, as even the local charities themselves will This phrase/word (depending on the context) can be potentially replaced with :acquiesce
agree
. What is more
, if You use this word too often, consider replacing it withgiftserviceassistancebenefitsubsidycompensation
aid
 funds could be held
 back

until times of emergency, such as floods, famine or civil war, the money available would then be far higher and

thus
 would This phrase/word (depending on the context) can be potentially replaced with :assistassistance
help
 more This phrase/word (depending on the context) can be potentially replaced with :individualsnationsociety
people
 in distress.

To conclude
, it appears to me that opponents of the You use this word too often, consider replacing it withallocationallowanceallotmentmeasure
quota
You use this word too often, consider replacing it withorganizationschemerulestructurearrangement
system
 have the more robust argument,

with their concerns over unnecessary donations which This phrase/word (depending on the context) can be potentially replaced with :alleviate
reduce
 emergency funding Did you mean: "in the future"?in the future
in future
. We all Possible spelling mistake. 'recognise' is British English.recognize
recognise
 a

moral duty to This phrase/word (depending on the context) can be potentially replaced with :assistassistance
help
 those in need, This phrase/word is too simple and can be replaced with:on the contrary
but
surely
 these resources should be targeted
 more strictly
 towards sufferers,

rather
 than This phrase/word (depending on the context) can be potentially replaced with :transmitted
sent
permanently
 to This phrase/word (depending on the context) can be potentially replaced with :national authoritypublic authority
government
 departments to become part of the local economy. 