Easterly study questions

Questions to ponder for Easterly:

1. P.T. Bauer, the development economist, wrote in 1993: "[Aid] promotes an unquestioning attitude. It disarms criticism, obscures realities, and prejudges results. Who could be against aid to the less fortunate? The term has enabled aid supporters to claim a monopoly of compassion and to dismiss critics as lacking in understanding and sympathy." Discuss this in the context of Easterly’s book, and his criticism of Jeff Sachs’ The End of Poverty.
2. Does Easterly believe there’s a grand plan for development? Give at least two examples from his last chapter that would be Easterly-like development strategies.
3. Would Easterly be surprised by the story of Kenyans converting mosquito netting to dresses as shown in class (see post below)? Why or why not?
4. Are there any causes of poverty besides oppression? (You may want to define oppression before you answer this.)

Red and Moyo

Here are some of the things we used today in class:

• Starbucks' Red Card, and its criticism by Easterly.
• The video of Dambisa Moyo.
  I also suggested in class this interview of Moyo from the NYT.
• Here's the question I started class with: Are "scarcity" and "poverty" two sides of the same coin? Click the link for some thoughts.

Not mentioned in class but found today: Working World, a source for overseas job and study opportunities?

New Easterly blog

Bill Easterly now has a blog called Aid Watch. I'll put it in the side index for future reference.

Trailers for a movie for Easterly's book