The dubious prospects for "International Development"

Back in my U of G days, I was very briefly and very peripherally involved with the "International Development" programs at that school. What I concluded from that brief and peripheral acquaintance with the so-called development community was this; the Third World (as it was known at the time) would be way better off if we First World arrogant know-it-alls would just stay home.

Nothing I've seen since has caused me to change my mind.

Here's an essay by Helena Norberg-Hodge on view at Counterpunch that spells out the rationale for my point of view way better than I ever could.