Sorry about the dodgy link above. This was the one intended: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Famine

Poirot,
In my work I am faced with consulting engineer designed infrastructure which, as expected, does never function properly. It is I & my colleagues who actually make designs work at wage level for which the engineers got paid very high rates. Yet, the same bureaucrats keep hiring the same consultants for the same high rates & pay them with taxpayers funding. Those of us who actually ensure value for money well, we're just exploited like the rice farmers in India.
I suppose you could call it selfish.

individual,

I appreciate your point.
I believe that the more bureaucratized or institutionalized something is, and removed from local, hands-on treatment - the more scope there is for entrenched large-scale selfishness (less likelihood of being guided by a social conscience). That's why smaller communities tend to work in a more co-operative manner.

That's why smaller communities tend to work in a more co-operative manner.
Poirot,
That is a fact which is not liked by Government hence they forced amalgamation onto well functioning communities rather then either help or discipline those which practised corruption.
Our local member who doesn't appear to have any qualification other than having worked all his life in his predeccessors' office mouthed off about some indigenous communities not being able to control their finances (hint-corruption) over the past 25 years. So, knowing all this was going on why didn't he address the problem within two or three years ? Were there an ounce of integrity this member should be prosecuted for being an accessory to the fact let alone be allowed to contest elections.

Putting it simply, we in the West plunder so called "underdeveloped countries". In the past we've colonized them, taking over their land and governance, and placed them in servitude. The modern equivalent is for us to lure and coerce their governing bodies to embrace our notion of "free trade".
We take from them while simultaneously disrupting their ancient systems of survival....and subsequently, when they are found wanting, we praise ourselves for our meagre generosity because we send them aid.

Old chinese proverb "what the eye sees the heart desires". Dangle a meaningless western commodity in front of anyone & they want it. I can't help thinking of those brilliant scientists who receive awards for inventing/discovering new ways & means for the world's population to grow ever so rapidly. Or more machinery to create even more unemployment. I'm pretty sure they would keep their discoveries well under wrapps if they were made to fork out as much we have to. What is it that makes so many people believe that we can ask for more & more growth ? I'd like to get extremely close to one of those "more economic growth" politicians whilst holding a baseball bat. I don't know if I could change their idiotic thinking but it certainly wouldn't do any harm to try & knock some sense into them.