Africa: The historic victories and new challenges of debt cancellation

An old maxim in social movements (adapted from Schopenhauer's prickly take on the history of great ideas) states: “First they ignore you. Then they attack you. Then you win.” For years, campaigners for debt relief in the developing world and their international supporters were dismissed or derided. For 2005, however, a new question has emerged: Will they finally be able to claim victory? This article from Foreign Policy in Focus looks at how 100% debt cancellation for poor countries was transformed from an implausible demand into a winning issue, and what barriers lie ahead for the debt relief movement.