The Tyranny of Experts: Economists, Dictators, and the Forgotten Rights of the Poor

by William Easterly Narrated by Chris Ciulla

Overview

In this "bracingly iconoclastic” book (New York Times Book Review), a renowned economics scholar breaks down the fight to end global poverty and the rights that poor individuals have had taken away for generations.

In The Tyranny of Experts, renowned economist William Easterly examines our failing efforts to fight global poverty, and argues that the "expert approved" top-down approach to development has not only made little lasting progress, but has proven a convenient rationale for decades of human rights violations perpetrated by colonialists, postcolonial dictators, and US and UK foreign policymakers seeking autocratic allies. Demonstrating how our traditional antipoverty tactics have both trampled the freedom of the world's poor and suppressed a vital debate about alternative approaches to solving poverty, Easterly presents a devastating critique of the blighted record of authoritarian development. In this masterful work, Easterly reveals the fundamental errors inherent in our traditional approach and offers new principles for Western agencies and developing countries alike: principles that, because they are predicated on respect for the rights of poor people, have the power to end global poverty once and for all.

Editorial Reviews

JULY 2021 - AudioFile

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

Publishers Weekly

01/06/2014
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. (Mar.)

From the Publisher

"A provocative book that will rile the development world.... A timely blast against the complacency of those who think progress and prosperity can be detached from politics."—Guardian (UK)

"Easterly's message is simple: Before you offer a helping hand, look hard at the core beliefs that brought you good fortune."—Washington Post

"There is something indomitable about William Easterly, and he has struck the development establishment where it is weakest: its appalling human rights record."—Los Angeles Times Book Review

"Easterly is one of the most consistently interesting and provocative thinkers on development."—Bloomberg View

"Thought provoking."—Economist

"This powerful polemic against top-down aid projects convinces."—Times of London (UK)

"A passionate, if fitful, argument against the conventional approach to economic development."—Washington Post

"Easterly has written a book that grabs a reader's attention from the first sentence.... Highly recommended."—Choice

"Fascinating."—Lancet

"The Tyranny of Experts is intellectual comfort food for people ... who are skeptical of the idea that the only things standing between us and a world free of poverty are insufficient funding and political will."—Cato Institute's Regulation

"Easterly delivers a scathing assault on the anti-poverty programs associated with both the United Nations and its political and private sector supporters.... A sharply written polemic intended to stir up debate about the aims of global anti-poverty campaigns"—Kirkus

"Easterly's research may help start a dialog about identifying better methods for alleviating global poverty and should assist readers interested in humanitarian efforts who want to draw their own conclusions about how to aid the world's poor."—Library Journal

Library Journal

03/01/2014
Many developing countries lag critically behind their Western counterparts according to reports of health, life expectancy, income, and other measurements that are used to assess poverty. Leading development economist Easterly (economics, director, Development Research Inst., New York Univ.; The White Man's Burden) argues cogently that solutions imposed by outside agencies to reduce poverty miscarry when individual rights and freedoms are ignored. He shows through historical examinations of growth in the 20th and 21st centuries that failure continues to result from the use of the same faulty approaches. He asserts that because supplying aid is complex and demands a deep understanding of cultural, economic, and political factors in a country, the major mistakes, such as the empowerment of corrupt regimes and the further oppression of poor people, are often made. All the while he argues that misconceptions about developmental assistance have still not been addressed. VERDICT Easterly's research may help start a dialog about identifying better methods for alleviating global poverty and should assist readers interested in humanitarian efforts who want to draw their own conclusions about how to aid the world's poor.—Caroline Geck, Camden Street Sch. Lib., Newark, NJ

JULY 2021 - AudioFile

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

Kirkus Reviews

2014-01-09
Easterly (Economics/New York Univ.; The White Man's Burden: Why the West's Efforts to Aid the Rest Have Done So Much Ill and So Little Good, 2006, etc.) delivers a scathing assault on the anti-poverty programs associated with both the United Nations and its political and private sector supporters. No stranger to controversy, the author takes off the gloves again in a no-holds-barred account of the history and hypocrisy of the ideas associated with development economics. He charges that to the extent anti-poverty programs intended for the developing sector rely on outside economic and technical expertise and top-down government action, they become authoritarian, anti-democratic and unlikely to succeed. Easterly derides the recent acclaimed success of the Millennium Development campaign in Ethiopia in reducing infant mortality, which has been praised by many. The author shows that the results are difficult to substantiate given the lack of coherent data, and they are undermined by the government's use of aid funds for its own political purposes. He contends that the Ethiopian case reflects a longer history in which the World Bank acts in a political manner, despite the prohibition in its charter, and he explores how the World Bank programs ignored the brutality in Colombia during la violencia of the 1950s. For Easterly, the Treaty of Versailles in 1919 marked the beginning of modern development economics, and he shows how "development ideas took shape…at a time when…attitudes…were still racist." He provides a broader historical perspective on especially African countries, demonstrating how the history of slavery still influences current politics. The author offers the alternative of fostering greater human rights and increasing political freedom. A sharply written polemic intended to stir up debate about the aims of global anti-poverty campaigns.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940177232348
Publisher:	Hachette Audio
Publication date:	03/16/2021
Edition description:	Unabridged

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