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Liked It1 of 1 members found this review helpful “Dit boek gaat over de vraag hoe het komt dat veel ontwikkelingshulp niet lijkt te helpen, en zelfs meestal averechts werkt. Centraal staat de tegenstelling tussen planners en zoekers. Planners bekijken alles van een afstand en maken hun plannen zonder echte feedback van onderaf. Zoekers spelen in...” see full review » see other reviews » |
Didn’t Like It “It made me sad. Maybe I'm too optimistic in Foreign Aid... I'm still gonna try to save the world!!!!” see full review » see other reviews » |
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“A former World Bank insider and now NYU prof debunks the naivete of much developmental theory and practice as it applies to Africa. ”
mikeneri wrote this review Thursday, November 26 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Have you ever wondered why countries that are given loans by the IMF are more likely to fail? Professor Easterly presents a theory which, apparently, is free of political ideology. His main point is, stop imposing Western values on foreign countries and more importantly stop coming up with 'utopian' visions. The most successful plans don't attempt to handle all the problems, they look for solutions to individual problems.
Marcus W wrote this review Saturday, October 17 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
His advice is true, and ultimately unsatisfying. Maybe that's why so few people are listening?”
“This is a good read on global matters but I felt I should have a degree in econimcs first. It's a hard read because it's super academic and a very sad and frustrating topic. Although the author appears conservative his ideas are pretty liberal: work from the ground up for home-grown solutions. The title is tongue in cheeck about how the old colonizers and modern relief efforts feel the white man's burden that poor (also read colored people) cannot solve their own problems but must have the superior white man's gracious help in solving them.”
Sarah O wrote this review Saturday, May 2 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“It made me sad. Maybe I'm too optimistic in Foreign Aid... I'm still gonna try to save the world!!!!”
megs wrote this review Wednesday, April 22 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No1 of 1 members found this review helpful“Dit boek gaat over de vraag hoe het komt dat veel ontwikkelingshulp niet lijkt te helpen, en zelfs meestal averechts werkt. Centraal staat de tegenstelling tussen planners en zoekers. Planners bekijken alles van een afstand en maken hun plannen zonder echte feedback van onderaf. Zoekers spelen in op kansen in hun eigen omgeving, en maken juist veel gebruik van feedback. Veel ontwikkelingshulp komt van de planners, die vaak ook nog eens in het kader van de koude oorlog regeringen steunden die juist niet democratisch waren en waar feedback ook helemaal niet plaatsvond. Dit boek is voor mij een eye-opener, en de metafoor van planner of zoeker kan volgens mij direct op andere organisaties en terreinen toegepast worden. Overigens vind ik niet dat je ontwikkelingshulp moet stoppen: gebruik de inzichten uit dit boek om de hulp op de juiste plek (bij de armen) te laten aankomen, en luister naar wat zij zelf willen en vinden! Easterly heeft dit boek trouwens juist geschreven uit betrokkenheid met de armen.”
Bert vd Berg wrote this review Tuesday, September 23 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“R.Green read this as an alternative perspective on Sach's The End of Poverty. His critique of current and past development and aid is insightful and a reminder of all the harm that has been done in the name of "helping others."”
IGCR bookshelf wrote this review Wednesday, December 26 2007. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“Africa is still untouched! The so call globalization and civilation has led to povertilation in Africa! No One can change Africa with money, thats why people gave so much and yet so little is done!”
anthony p wrote this review Tuesday, December 4 2007. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
