Abstract
Ethical debate around development aid has gradually grown and diversified, and
a field that spans some aspects of policy, organisational and personal practice has
partly emerged. After characterising this trend, the paper considers: (1) The key question of the types of obligation, if any, involved in aid; is aid purely charity and beyond
obligation(s)? What do different views here imply for roles and conditions in aid? (2)
The significance in aid, especially technical cooperation, of inter-personal relations and
work-style and life-style issues. (3) Will specified ethical guidelines and codes for aid
organisations and aid workers be worthwhile? The paper suggests that even a charity
mode of aid entails important obligations concerning manner of operation, and that
helpful guidelines are possible. Whether directive codes will help is more open to
doubt.
a field that spans some aspects of policy, organisational and personal practice has
partly emerged. After characterising this trend, the paper considers: (1) The key question of the types of obligation, if any, involved in aid; is aid purely charity and beyond
obligation(s)? What do different views here imply for roles and conditions in aid? (2)
The significance in aid, especially technical cooperation, of inter-personal relations and
work-style and life-style issues. (3) Will specified ethical guidelines and codes for aid
organisations and aid workers be worthwhile? The paper suggests that even a charity
mode of aid entails important obligations concerning manner of operation, and that
helpful guidelines are possible. Whether directive codes will help is more open to
doubt.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Place of Publication | Den Haag |
| Publisher | International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) |
| Number of pages | 41 |
| Publication status | Published - Sep 1999 |
Publication series
| Series | ISS working papers. General series |
|---|---|
| Number | 297 |
| ISSN | 0921-0210 |
Series
- ISS Working Paper-General Series
