written assign week 9 c garcia soc300

WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT SOC300 C GARCIA WINTER 2015

By Claire Garcia (Pickens)

Professor John Cronin

SOC300 winter 2015 – Written Assignment

2 March 2015


The examination of a country’s economy is far beyond the study of numbers, employment, and

accounting practices. Often there are strong cultural influences and long-standing patterns that

have a stronghold on the directionality of the population of that country. Outside influences

illicit periods of change, with a hope of transformation for these emerging economies, but are

disappointed when the results are not as progressive as they would have hoped. The complexity

of igniting change in a country such as Madagascar begins at the root of the cultural influences

that have driven the island’s way of sustaining life far before having the modern form of a

successful economy was popular. Considering these factors, can aid ever have the effect the

donor wants it to have?


Lead by Example: Madagascar Leadership Putting the Wrong Foot Forward

In 2009 the EU, US and Norway withdrew non-humanitarian aid to Madagascar. This decision

was because of a radical and controversial change in leadership by Andry Rajoelina that most

saw as unconstitutional. Despite efforts and pleas to regain the aid, which compromised nearly

50% of the fiscal revenues, the donor countries did not feel Madagascar was a solid investment

due to their poor trade relations and unconstitutional practices. (Emerging Markets Monitor,

2009) Unfortunately, the violent political turmoil of 2009 is not an isolated event in the political

history of this struggling country. From 2011 to 2012, Rajoelina made further attempts to

solidify political positions and scheduled elections. Though the intention was to launch

Madagascar to a political and economic recovery, it resulted in an army mutiny in 2012.

(Madagascar Country Review, 2013) Since its establishment in 1891, and independence in 1964,

Madagascar has experienced a number of issues with political turmoil and corruption.

Difficulties in the establishment of authority and organizational structure to implement change

free of corruption have plagued this government for decades. (CIA: The World Factbook:

Madagascar, 2011) Is it possible to create real sustainable change without first repairing the

instability in leadership?

An Unhealthy Lifestyle: Healthcare and Negative Cultural Health Patterns

Issues regarding malaria, STD’s, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, infectious diseases, infant mortality,

and health concerns related to tobacco use have been consistently present on the island of

Madagascar. Medical doctor and political candidate Dr. Jean Louis Robinson has made strong

pleas to gain further investment in the medical issues that are holding the people of the island

back from economic improvement. According to Dr. Robinson, the medical issues are

preventing citizens from going to work to earn money to support their families, as well as


keeping kids from being able to attain the education they need to advance. (PR Newswire, 2013)

Efforts are in progress by WHO (World Health Organization) to introduce new medical tools,

such as a rapid malaria test, to reduce the febrile mortality rate. (Malaria Journal, 2012) In a

country where prostitution is common, HIV/AIDS is at an epidemic level. Cultural beliefs

regarding the use of protection with partners after considered a “sipa” are hindering efforts to

educate the masses regarding the importance of condoms. A “sipa” is a love relationship that

involves an element of trust. Regardless of monogamy, this term is often used with people who

are regular partners and as such often do not employ the use of protection. A term even used

amongst sex workers with their regular clientele. The cultural views regarding love and trust

seem to be overruling the scientific education attempts in place to reduce the transmission of

HIV/AIDS. (American Journal of Public Health, 2009) Another cultural influence that has a

strong effect on public health is the use of tobacco. With ties to long-standing cultural roots

reaching back to Asia and Africa, tobacco use is prevalent primarily amongst men on the island.

There does not seem to be a connection to socio-economic status regarding the prevalence of use.

When considering smokeless tobacco, the statistics include both men and women, primarily in

rural areas. (Market Structures, Socioeconomics, and Tobacco Usage Patterns in Madagascar,

2014) Tobacco usage is a culturally imbedded habit with health consequences. Will the

scientific explanation of health concerns ever overrule the strong cultural beliefs of a society?

Macroeconomics of Madagascar. Economic stagnation on the island is spurred not only by the

islands heavy employment in agricultural trades, but also by a failure to participate in

international trade in compliance with regulation. In 2010, due to a failure to comply with the

AGOA (African Growth and Opportunity Act), Madagascar lost its duty-free access. Poor

political strategies have caused significant swings in the GDP, as well as have reduced tourism to


the island. Lack of regulation in agricultural industries has cause deforestation and erosion,

further affecting the ability to produce goods suitable for trade. Nearly 80% of the employment

on the island is agriculturally related. (CIA: The World Factbook: Madagascar, 2011)

(CountryWatch Forcast Brief – Madagascar, 2010) The current economic position of

Madagascar is a result of poor leadership, poor trade relationships, and a lack of foresight to

create diversification that would allow the working class employment alternatives outside

agriculture. The combination of these components creating a primarily lower-class society, with

little hope or chance to advance unless significant changes are made in the country’s political

conduct.

Educational Advancement. The school life expectancy of a child in Madagascar is 11 years.

Literacy amongst males and females on the island averages to 68% of the population.

Madagascar has a current expenditure rate of about 3% of GDP going towards education. (CIA:

The World Factbook: Madagascar, 2011) With nearly 80% of children entering first grade, it is

disappointing to know only about 33% of those children will continue the 5-year cycle of

elementary education. A very high percentage (31%) of school-enrolled children repeated a

grade through the course of their education. Upon closer examination of public school in

relationship to private schools, conclusively children of economically stronger households had a

higher rate of continuation in the school system. (Student Learning in Public and Private

Primary Schools in Madagascar, 2003) In combination with the information regarding the

macroeconomics of the island, questions arise regarding the intentions of strengthening the

educational system on the island. If your ultimate position is going to be blue-collar,

agricultural, and labor related – what benefit does an education lend to survival in such a poorly

constructed economy?


Removing the Halo: Performativity of Aid and Associated Cyclical Disappointment.

If aid has not proven to be an effective method of improvement for Madagascar, then why

continue to seek it as an option? Is it possible that part of the problem is that the donor is

unwilling to admit failure? A halo has been placed on the idea of “helping” emerging

economies. An underdog concept that has wealthy donors wanting to bring a country from rags

to riches under the umbrella of their benevolent concern. The question is not whether it works or

not, because that has been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt, the question is the motivation

behind the aid. The question is the accountability for the desired results, and the ability to admit

when a plan has not come to fruition. The concept of what is happening in the area of aid

globally has had a “halo effect” placed on it that has effectively hidden the lack of sustainable

positive results. (The Halo Effect, 2007) Performativity of this aid is relative to the economist

that is spinning the data to support the continuation of aid. Unfortunately leaving both the donor

and the recipient falling short of the desired results. A cyclical paradox that is difficult to stop

due to the entanglements with politics, economics, image, and pride that surround the concept of

giving aid to the needy. As the cycle perpetuates, and the halo effect is shared with the

unsuspecting and vulnerable minds of the masses, and a new “truth” regarding the benefits of aid

evolves generationally. (The Sword, the Sponge, and the Paradox of Performativity, 2012) The

real question regarding aid and the future of Madagascar is whether or not both the donor and the

recipient are willing to be brutally, and publically, honest about the paradigm of success and

failure. Only then will the halo be removed, and progress begin to happen.

Conclusion. Unless and until significant changes are made to the political organization of

Madagascar the people of the island will be forced to survive their country, rather than thrive in

their county. The current system of operation has created a new normal for the people of


Madagascar. A normal in which a subculture of surviving poverty is not seen as survival, but

rather a way of everyday life. What happens when begging becomes a job description? Or when

survival strategies become an everyday normal occurrence? (Conceptualizing the Survival

Sector in Madagascar, 2012) When poverty no longer seems uncomfortable or abnormal, the

concept of restructuring has far less to do with social services, and more to do with

systematically restructuring the way people think of their standard of living. The stage for the

failed state of the current condition of Madagascar has been set by their leadership. No amount

of aid can change the economy, if the mentality and conduct does not change first. Without this

change, the money is essentially enabling a corrupt system to continue down the wrong path.

When the leadership of Madagascar begins to care about the health, education, and future

sustainability of their country as much as outsiders do, that is when an introduction of aid into

the system will have benefit.


References

Blecher, E., Liber, A., Chaussard, M., Fedewa, S. (2014). Market Structures, Socioeconomics,

and Tobacco Usage Patterns in Madagascar. Nicotine & Tobacco Research. Jan2014,

Vol. 16 Issue S1, pS56-S54.

CIA: The World Factbook: Madagascar (2011). CIA World Fact Book. 2011, p404-407.

Country Watch: Madagascar (2010) Countrywatch Forcast Brief – Madagascar. 2010, p 1-5

Dr Jean Louis Robinson: Medical Investment is Critical to Regaining Madagascar’s Strength

(2013) PR Newswire. 9/19/2013.

Dr Robinson Pledges to Build Safer, More Prosperous Madagascar (2013) PR Newswire US.

9/17/2013.

Gossling, S., Schumacher, K. (2012). Conceptualizing the Survival Sector in Madagascar.

Antipode. March 2012, Vol 44 Issue 2, P321-342.

Government Structure (2013) Madagascar Country Review. 2013, p64-68.

Graeber, D., (2012) The Sword, the Sponge, and the Paradox of Performativity; Some

Observations on Fate, Luck, Financial Chicanery, and the Limits of Human Knowledge.

Social Analysis. Spring 2012, Vol 56 Issue 1, p25-42

Lassibille, G., Jee-Peng, T. (2003) Student Learning in Public and Private Schools in

Madagascar. Economic Development & Cultural Change. April 2003, Vol 51 Issue 3,

p699-717.

Madagascar: Aid and Trade Under Increasing Threat. (2009) Emerging Markets Monitor.

7/27/2009, Vol 15 Issue 17, p21.


Management of Uncomplicated Malaria in Febrile Under Five-Year-Old Children by

Community Health Workers in Madagascar: Reliability of Malaria Rapid Diagnostic

Tests. (2012) Malaria Journel. 2012, Vol 11 Issue 1, p85-92.

Rosenzweig, P. (2007) The Halo Effect…and the Eight Other Business Delusions that Deceive

Managers. Free Press. New York, NY.

Stoebenau, K., Hindin, M., Nathanson, C. (2009) “…But Then He Became My Sipa”: The

Implications of Relationship Fluidity for Condom Use Among Women Sex Workers in

Antananarivo, Madagascar. American Journal of Public Health. May 2009, Vol 99 Issue

5, p811-819.

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