Paternalism is a good thing. One of the things that makes human beings successful as a species is learning successful behaviors. Carnegie was doing those towns a favor by ensuring that they thought through the logistics of operating a library—in the process learning how to operate a public institution.

People rail against paternalism out of a misguided egalitarianism. You see this all the time in the context of the World Bank and IMF telling developing countries how to run their economies. You know what? That’s a good thing. Singapore became one of the wealthiest countries in the world by studiously copying the aspects of the British financial and legal system that worked. NGOs that just give money without helping countries learn how to use it effectively aren’t doing anyone any favors.