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  • The Bottom Billion

  • Why the Poorest Countries are Failing and What Can Be Done About It
  • By: Paul Collier
  • Narrated by: Gideon Emery
  • Length: 7 hrs and 43 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (23 ratings)

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The Bottom Billion

By: Paul Collier
Narrated by: Gideon Emery
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Publisher's Summary

In the universally acclaimed and award-winning The Bottom Billion, Paul Collier reveals that 50 failed states - home to the poorest one billion people on earth - pose the central challenge of the developing world in the 21st 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.

©2008 Paul Collier (P)2009 Audible, Inc.

Critic Reviews

"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)

What listeners say about The Bottom Billion

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Better than expected

After the first hour or two I thought I'd hate this book - the author is extremely egotistical and uses most of his own work to back himself up (and name-drops all his friends and academic colleagues for no real reason).
However, I ended up appreciating his arguments, even the extremely contentious ones. He argues his points clearly and admits the limitations of his conclusions. And I ended up, if not agreeing, then seeing the potential merit in his ideas.
There is definitely a focus on economic poverty, and I would argue that this misses somewhat of the picture, as poverty is also about the lived experience and social aspects too.
In all, if you're wanting to get one person's opinion on global poverty, then this book is good. Just make sure to get other opinions from other books too.

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incredible insight into the developing world

This was an amazing insight into new and innovative ways at looking to the future of aid, trade and development of the third world. it also explained the success seen in Brazil, China, India, and much of Africa. The narrator also had a wonderful voice.

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Backed by statistics

One of the best books I've read on development so far. It applies statistics to an area that largely seems to be governed by theory and overall provides a balanced view on effective development strategies.

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