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Title details for The Tyranny of Experts by William Easterly - Available

The Tyranny of Experts

Economists, Dictators, and the Forgotten Rights of the Poor

by William Easterly
Jonathan Yen
Audiobook
2 of 2 copies available
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2 of 2 copies available

Over the last century, global poverty has largely been viewed as a technical problem that merely requires the right "expert" solutions. Yet all too often, experts recommend solutions that fix immediate problems without addressing the systemic political factors that created them in the first place. Further, they produce an accidental collusion with "benevolent autocrats," leaving dictators with yet more power to violate the rights of the poor. In The Tyranny of Experts, economist William Easterly, bestselling author of The White Man's Burden, traces the history of the fight against global poverty, showing not only how these tactics have trampled the individual freedom of the world's poor, but how in doing so have suppressed a vital debate about an alternative approach to solving poverty: freedom. Presenting a wealth of cutting-edge economic research, Easterly argues that only a new model of development—one predicated on respect for the individual rights of people in developing countries, that understands that unchecked state power is the problem and not the solution —will be capable of ending global poverty once and for all.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    March 17, 2014

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781490612232
      • File size: 460221 KB
      • Duration: 15:58:47

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      As "rebel" economist William Easterly raises his concerns about autocracy and individual rights, narrator Chris Ciulla serves as a guide, encouraging listeners to think about the questions Easterly raises. Ciulla's voice highlights the gaps between what people say and what they mean as Easterly tells us the code words that substitute for debate. Ciulla takes on both cynical and heartfelt tones as he lays out Easterly's argument that experts, such as those at the World Bank, often favor inflexible solutions and help autocratic governments that don't respect the rights of the poor. Listeners might not agree when Easterly suggests a more market-driven approach, but his outline of the history of aid and colonialist attitudes will spark thoughts about human rights. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      January 6, 2014
      A well-known skeptic of foreign aid, NYU economist Easterly (The White Man’s Burden) examines efforts to produce and sustain growth in developing nations. Easterly deplores “authoritarian development” that fails to respect local knowledge and individual rights, and here assesses “benevolent autocrats” as well as “experts who aspire to technocratic power.” Using historical and contemporary examples, Easterly calls for the expanded rights of the global poor and a “time at last for all men and women to be equally free.” To illustrate the advantages of organic change and individual rights, Easterly analyzes gentrification of New York City’s SoHo district since the 1930s. What this case study has to do with Uganda, Ethiopia, or anywhere beyond Manhattan is unclear. Mechanistic top-down international planning has many critics, but Easterly’s alternatives are removed from reality. His line of thought seems to ignore the many legal, economic, geographic, and cultural forces that impede global development. This loose, sometimes incoherent collection of high-minded notes does not add up to a convincing thesis or argument. Easterly tries to craft global solutions, but fails to come up with practical proposals that will work in the messy world beyond his neighborhood. Charts, graphs, and photos.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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