The Bottom Billion: Why the Poorest Countries are Failing and What Can Be Done About It | 
|  | | | Title: | The Bottom Billion: Why the Poorest Countries are Failing and What Can Be Done About It | | Author: | Paul Collier | | Publisher: | Oxford University Press, USA | | Type: | Book / Paperback | | Publication Date: | 22 August, 2008 | | ISBN / ISBN-13: | 0195373383 / 9780195373387 | | List Price: | $15.95 | | You Save: | $5.10 | | Amazon Price: | $10.85 | |
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Product Description
In the universally acclaimed and award-winning The Bottom Billion, Paul Collier reveals that fifty failed states--home to the poorest one billion people on Earth--pose the central challenge of the developing world in the twenty-first century. The book shines much-needed light on this group of small nations, largely unnoticed by the industrialized West, that are dropping further and further behind the majority of the world's people, often falling into an absolute decline in living standards. A struggle rages within each of these nations between reformers and corrupt leaders--and the corrupt are winning. Collier analyzes the causes of failure, pointing to a set of traps that ensnare these countries, including civil war, a dependence on the extraction and export of natural resources, and bad governance. Standard solutions do not work, he writes; aid is often ineffective, and globalization can actually make matters worse, driving development to more stable nations. What the bottom billion need, Collier argues, is a bold new plan supported by the Group of Eight industrialized nations. If failed states are ever to be helped, the G8 will have to adopt preferential trade policies, new laws against corruption, new international charters, and even conduct carefully calibrated military interventions. Collier has spent a lifetime working to end global poverty. In The Bottom Billion, he offers real hope for solving one of the great humanitarian crises facing the world today.
"Terrifically readable."
--Time.com
"Set to become a classic. Crammed with statistical nuggets and common sense, his book should be compulsory reading."
--The Economist
"If Sachs seems too saintly and Easterly too cynical, then Collier is the authentic old Africa hand: he knows the terrain and has a keen ear.... If you've ever found yourself on one side or the other of those arguments--and who hasn't?--then you simply must read this book."
--Niall Ferguson, The New York Times Book Review
"Rich in both analysis and recommendations.... Read this book. You will learn much you do not know. It will also change the way you look at the tragedy of persistent poverty in a world of plenty."
--Financial Times
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Customer Reviews:
• Good Synopsis 19 December, 2008
The Bottom Billion
By
Paul Collier
Paul Collier is Professor of Economics and Director of the Center for the Study of African Economies at Oxford University. Former director of Development Research at the World Bank and advisor to the British government's Commission on Africa, he is one of the world's leading experts on African economies, and he has penned a comprehensive book on ways to lift the billion or so people living in failed or failing states into the 21st century.
Collier points out why this is important to us not just to the billion people who are living and dying in 14th Century conditions. With globalization and the flattening of the world the twenty first century world of material comfort, global travel, and economic interdependence will become increasingly vulnerable to these failed or failing states of chaos. As the bottom billion diverges from in increasingly sophisticated world economy, integration will become harder, not easier.
This book focuses on the 4 traps that keep the bottom countries from moving upward. These traps are: the conflict trap, the natural resources trap, the trap of being land locked with bad neighbors, and the trap of bad governance in a small country. Collier believes the best way to beat these traps is through economic growth. Collier provides a couple of recommendations for helping the poor: "narrow the target and broaden the instruments." Narrowing the target means focusing on the one billion of the world's people (70% of whom are in Africa) that are going nowhere fast. Broadening the instruments means shifting focus from aid to an arsenal of policy instruments such as better delivery of aid, occasional military intervention, international charters, and smarter trade policy.
Collier uses statistical analysis to prove many of his points, some of which are surprising in their outcomes. His list of experts who assisted him in this endeavor contributes immensely to the overall analysis and findings and gives the reader the impression that there is valid credibility in his work and findings. The best part of the book concerns Colliers thoughts on Globalization. Collier believes Globalization's effects on economies comes from three distinct process: trade in goods, flows of capital, and lastly the migration of people. Collier develops these themes and sheds some interesting light on the problems of the underdeveloped nations of the world.
Although Collier does not use foot notes, he does provide a list of research that contributed to this book. Collier also points out which research projects have undergone the scrutiny of his peers, and which research has not and leaves it up to the reader to decide on the validity.
The Bottom Billion is a very readable book, 192 pages, and provides the reader with some expert analysis and recommendations for assisting the failing nations of the world. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a comprehensive look at why states fail and how to assist them in their efforts to grow.
- Reviewed by customer ID: ALWA9ZL5WNPA
• He Loves His Research. 29 December, 2008
Collier loves his research. He also loves the research of people who have studied under him. Finally, he loves the research of people he works with.
While I have no doubt that his research has produced some fruitful insights into poverty, I don't think his book is the amazing must-read development book of the year - or even a book really worth reading. Here's the nutshell version, that will save you some money:
The bottom billion people out there (part of a number of countries Collier won't name because he doesn't want to make things worse) have it bad. Really bad. They're not likely to get better anytime soon for a lot of reasons. Throwing money at the problem won't necessarily solve it. We need to have a concerted effort to bring up their neighbors and drag the bottom billion along with them.
There. I said it in what, 100 words? Collier, I admire your ability to wax poetic about research papers, but it's not necessary to refer back to your research thousands of times in such a direct manner. I blame your editor, mostly.
- Reviewed by customer ID: A3U6J0DLLDEWM2
• Bottomed Out 16 December, 2008
Collier's book summaries his findings of years in research on state failure and poverty. In the Bottom Billion he offers three main points. First, the development problem of the world should focus on the poorest billion people and not all developing countries. Second, bottom billion societies struggle with two moral extremes: Those trying to do good and powerful groups that oppose them. Third, rich countries do not need to be bystanders in this struggle.
Collier found four basic reasons or traps of failed economies which result in poverty. The four traps are conflict, natural resource abundance, landlocked with bad neighbors, and bad governance. The natural resource abundance as a poverty trap is counterintuitive, but Collier explains the economic concept of Dutch disease, and how resources can discourage a country's chances of diversifying exports.
His research gives a mixed report card for aid. Foreign humanitarian aid, like a natural resource windfall, can give deleterious results, according to Collier, if it is handed to governments without strict stipulations. He sited how some foreign aid has been linked to arms purchases which encourage conflict. He also gave an example of how USAID was unduly influenced by congressional commercial lobbies so that Congress diverted spending that benefited particular American exporters, unrelated to the needs of recipients.
Collier advocates for the prudent use of foreign military intervention to facilitate turn-around and growth. He is critical of some countries' unwillingness to commit troops to foreign conflicts, "that is what modern armies are for: to supply the global public good of peace in territories that otherwise have the potential for nightmare" (p. 125). Collier admits this paradigm may face unpopularity due to Iraq, but he highlights the British Army's success in Sierra Leone as an example of prudent intervention.
There are other instruments of power rich countries can wield to decrease poverty, according to Collier. He recommends evening the playing field in trade by removing tariffs from bottom billion countries while keeping current tariffs on Asian exporters. Collier explains this policy is not about what is fair or just, but about pulling marginalized countries aboard.
For any student of economics, public policy, international politics, or third world development this book should be mandatory reading. While you may not agree with everything he says, he at least has research to back it up. If you disagree, the challenge before you is to do the research yourself. There are a billion examples for you to study.
- Reviewed by customer ID: A1L5VHH21Z9YGP
• Very Broad - Great For The Unfamiliar 21 December, 2008
This book is very general. The generalizations go too far at times. However, it is very informative and provides a very basic outline of the poorest of poor nations and the 'traps' that make them unable to progress. It is great for someone who is unfamiliar with these issues, providing background information. Collier presents a lot of facts and figures for things that are not very quantifiable. However, he explains how and where his data come from, his sources are all reputable, and his assumptions are based on serious research and knowledge. I think this is great for someone new to the subject. Although he provides ballpark figures that may be very inaccurate in a given situation, these figures are helpful for someone who couldn't even guess otherwise.
- Reviewed by customer ID: A1HKKJ2H6S157C
• Collier On Tedtalks Video Podcast 28 December, 2008
I saw Paul Collier's talk via TED website. Watch that for a 20 minute preview of this book.
He nonchalantly reveals that aid for developing countries is too often a myth by revealing the conflict of interest that comes with each package.
He has a way of making mind-blowing statements that make you realise that he's only stating the obvious about democracy, politics, development and free-trade.
The world would be a much better place if the evangelists for democracy would simply keep in mind some simple principles about good governance and the balance of powers between legislation, administration and judiciary.
- Reviewed by customer ID: A1JOOF81AHW9
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