This book should top the list for anyone in global development:
Poor Economics: A Radical Rethinking of the Way to Fight Global Poverty
Authors Banerjee and Duflo, both MIT economists, take a close look at the poor and the decisions they make. With over fifteen years research in dozens of countries, they suggest that poverty programs and actions should be “radically rethought”. To be effective, these programs need to change to to reflect the reality of poverty as evidenced.
Maybe…we had it all wrong? Some of these insights really challenge basic assumptions. For example, we assume the poor don’t have enough to eat, right? But Banerjee and Duflo observed that given more money, the poor didn’t buy more food, they bought better food (in similar amounts).
I don’t pretend to know all the implications of Banerjee and Duflo’s work, but I find it fascinating and think the impacts, if and when applied to poverty programs, could be profound.
For more, go to the book’s companion website:
Companion Website — Poor Economics
Have you read a great book on development lately? Recommend it here!!
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