In this book, Jonathan Glennie argues that government aid to Africa actually has many very harmful effects.  He claims that aid has often meant more poverty, more hungry people, worse basic services for poor people and damage to already precarious democratic institutions. Rather than the Make Poverty History slogan "Double aid to Africa," Glennie suggests the opposite: "Halve aid to Africa"--to achieve the same result and reduce aid dependency. Through an honest assessment of both the positive and negative consequences of aid, this book will show you why.