Rating: 9
August 5, 2007
Jeffrey Sachs has put together a compelling, comprehensive plan to end extreme poverty by 2025. It’s helpful that he makes a distinction between relative and extreme poverty, and here, he’s only talking about the latter. Relative poverty we will always have with us.
He does a great job at outlining a comprehensive strategy with practical steps, and takes apart the myths that keep countries from climbing out of extreme poverty. The case for debt cancellation makes pragmatic sense, or else these countries will end up spending much of their reserves on debt servicing.
The most compelling argument he makes is that economic collapse is a major factor in state collapse, which in turn affects American national security. If we really want to tackle terrorism, then providing foreign aid may actually be a more effective than military force because it deals with root causes.
It’s clear, however, that the author has gone through many battles, and his words have often gone unheeded. As a result, he often takes an “I-told-you-so” tone that doesn’t endear him to readers. And his last chapter reads like an Enlightenment sermon on the progress of mankind. It’s supposed to read like the final hero’s speech to rouse up the crowd, and instead, ends like an academic whimper. What he clearly has in credentials and practical strategies, he lacks in knowing how to motivate people — bring Bono in for the close. Otherwise, skip the last chapter.
But overall, it’s a great book. It’s comprehensive, yet he makes it seem attainable. And he has the experience and expertise to see it through. Now, why aren’t we doing this?
You can view its Amazon detail page by clicking the image above.
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