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Once a year, many Christian international anti-poverty nonprofits release Christmas catalogs filled with items they hope you\u2019ll purchase\u2014only the gifts aren\u2019t for anyone you know. Instead, most catalogs sent by groups like World Vision, Heifer International, and Compassion International boast items like livestock and other agricultural products that they\u2019re hoping you\u2019ll buy for those in need overseas. But is the strategy the best model to fight poverty? Why not give cash? \u201cWe tend to trust our family members with cash gifts,\u201d said economist Bruce Wydick. \u201cBut in the past, at least, we\u2019ve had much less trust for how people spend cash.\u201d In CT\u2019s December cover story, Wydick explores research that suggests giving cash may be one of the best ways to fight poverty. \u201cOne of the things that\u2019s liberating about this system is that people are accountable to themselves for how they use the money,\u201d he said. \u201cNo one is holding their hand, telling them they should do this or that.\u201d Wydick joined associate digital media producer Morgan Lee and editor in chief Mark Galli to discuss the biblical tension between generosity and accountability, fighting paternalism in development work, and how cell phones connect to fighting poverty.\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices