Ep. 46: The Not-So-Benevolent Billionaire, Part II - Bill Gates in Africa
Added 2018-08-01 16:17:55 +0000 UTCRussia, as we all know, has sinister “oligarchs” whereas in the United States, we are told, we have “philanthropists,” “job creators,” and “titans of industry” who earn their wealth through hard work, moxie, and guile. Aside from a few cartoonishly evil billionaires – like the Walton family, Peter Thiel, and the Koch brothers – the average American has a warm and fuzzy feeling about the super wealthy.
The most notable of these Benevolent Billionaires is Bill Gates, whose foundation, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, operates the largest overseas “nonprofit” regime in the world, worth over 40 billion dollars–– twice that of the next biggest foundation. The Gates Foundation receives almost uniformly softball coverage from the media, many of whom receive funding from Gates through various investment and donor arrangements, both from his personal coffers and the foundation that bears his name.
In Part II of this two-part episode, we ask how the media is - or isn't - holding Gates accountable for his deeply ideological, often opaque efforts in sub-Saharan Africa.
We are joined by Mariam Mayet, executive director of the African Centre for Biodiversity
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Guest
Mariam Mayet is executive director of the African Centre for Biodiversity, a food sovereignty advocacy group in Southern and East Africa.
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Show Notes
WEMA’s Bt Maize & Fall Armyworm Africa claims are unscientific and unsubstantiated
African Centre for Biodiversity | June 27, 2018
Philanthrocapitalism: The Gates Foundation’s African programmes are not charity
Philip L. Bereano | December 2017 | Third World Resurgence
US military agency invests $100m in genetic extinction technologies
Arthur Nelson | December 4, 2017 | The Guardian
Gates foundation spends bulk of agriculture grants in rich countries
John Vidal | November 3, 2014 | The Guardian
How does the Gates Foundation spend its money to feed the world
GRAIN | November 4, 2014
Philanthropic Power and Development: Who shapes the agenda? [PDF]
Jens Martens & Karolin Seitz | November 2015 | Bischöfliches Hilfswerk MISEREOR
Why is the Gates foundation investing in GM giant Monsanto?
John Vidal | September 29, 2010 | The Guardian
Chris Hughes and the Myth of the Benevolent Billionaire
Clio Chang | February 26, 2018 | Splinter News
Power and Money Don’t Necessarily Buy Smart Philanthropy
Linsey McGoey | October 13, 2015 | The Chronicle of Philanthropy
Japhy Wilson | March 3, 2015 | Jacobin
Plutocrats at Work: How Big Philanthropy Undermines Democracy
Joanne Barkan | Fall 2013 | Dissent
Andrew Carnegie | June 1889 | North American Review
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Learn More
African Centre for Biodiversity
AGRA Watch - Community Alliance for Global Justice
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Transcript
For a full transcript of this episode, go here.
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