In The News

Why Bill Gates Hates My Book

William R. Easterly February 12, 2008
The economic system of capitalism certainly creates pools of wealth, and economists, corporate leaders and others debate how to distribute such pools to aid the world’s poor. Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft who has since moved into philanthropy that funds basic education and health services in developing nations, argues for “creative capitalism,” by raising recognition of corporate...

World Rides to Wall Street's Rescue

David Enrich January 17, 2008
Nations with hefty savings accounts, including Singapore and Saudi Arabia, are devoting billions to rescuing US banks in trouble, a result of the sub-prime mortgage crisis. “After flooding the world with capital that fed both economic growth and excess, battered U.S. financial institutions now are turning to countries and companies that not so long ago were suffering through their own disasters...

Malawi's “Free Trade” Revolt

Benjamin R. Barber January 14, 2008
“Free trade” conditions accompany foreign aid, forcing the poor farmers in developing countries to compete with subsidized crops produced by powerful wealthy nations. In following the strict conditions to secure aid, Malawi had to battle starvation. Frustrated, Malawi defied World Bank policy in recent years by subsidizing fertilizer and seed programs for its farmers, allowing crops to expand...

Stop the World (and Avoid Reality)

Alan S. Blinder January 14, 2008
The US was long the most open and competitive economy in the world. But candidates for US president, both Democrats and Republicans, respond to voters’ desire for a time out from international engagement, a mood labeled “Stop the World Syndrome,” by economist Alan Blinder in an opinion essay for the New York Times. The attitude stems from frustration over the long wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as...

World Food Stocks Dwindling Rapidly, UN Warns

Elisabeth Rosenthal January 10, 2008
Extreme weather events, a growing population, increasing affluence adding more meat to diets and diversion of grain crops for subsidized biofuels have led to depleted food reserves and soaring prices reserves. High oil prices add to the complications of transferring food aid to the most vulnerable developing nations. Wealthy nations can compensate by reducing tariffs and importing more grain,...

Canada's Aid Seeded China Dam

Ian Johnson January 2, 2008
Environmental and human-rights activists around the globe criticize the world’s largest hydroelectric dam, Three Gorges Dam in China, for its displacement of more than a million people and environmental devastation. Yet governments and companies of the West provided assistance that allowed the controversial project to proceed. “In the midst of a domestic political crisis, the Canadian government...

After Bhutto, Pakistan on Edge

Ahmed Rashid January 1, 2008
Pakistan grieves the sudden, yet foreseen death of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, a courageous woman who threatened the status quo. Urged by the US, Bhutto agreed to a power-sharing deal with Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, if both won election. She vowed to end appeasement of extremists and cooperate with the US in pursuing all sources of terrorism, in and out of Pakistan. She...