Economist Proposes Bold "Solution" to Poverty in Developing Nations

[ThereseR]

<p>Paul Romer is an economist at New York University. As a solution to poverty in developing nations, he is proposing the creation of charter cities, which he hopes will be beacons of economic prosperity and inspiration. Some critics, however, see such plans as a form of neo-colonialism. Here’s an excerpt from the article in The Atlantic:</p>

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Inevitably, Romer’s big idea attracts some skeptical responses. “Paul is very creative,” says William Easterly, a development economist at New York University, “and sometimes creativity can cross the line into craziness.” The way Easterly sees it, charter cities (like charter schools in American cities) may provide an alternative to incumbent government systems, promising experimentation, competition, and perhaps a new way forward. But Easterly also worries that Romer has fallen prey to an old siren song—the idea that you can slough off debilitating customs and vested interests by constructing a technocratic petri dish uncontaminated by politics.

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<p>Read rest here: [The</a> Politically Incorrect Guide to Ending Poverty - Sebastian Mallaby - The Atlantic](<a href=“The Politically Incorrect Guide to Ending Poverty - The Atlantic”>The Politically Incorrect Guide to Ending Poverty - The Atlantic)</p>

<p>What do you think of such plans? Do you think that they’re practical, simplistic, brilliant, disingenous, idealistic, etc?</p>

[mini]

<p>I wonder if he’s ever been to Nairobi.</p>

<p>In 1940, 11% of Africa’s population lived below the poverty line. Today, after the western economists got to try out their “solutions”, 75% of the population is below the poverty line. (But most of them have cellphones, just not enough food or clean water.)</p>

<p>I think he should go live in rural Burundi for 20 years before he comes up with his next proposal.</p>

<p>(Oh, and by the way, we do know what works: commercial investment by the Chinese. And ways for local folks to clean their own drinking water without the need of aid agencies, governments (their own or ours), Rotaries, churches, or American economists. (Hey, that’s what I do when I’m not on cc. ;))</p>

[dstark]

<p>Romer is asking people to give up rights for money.</p>

<p>Having said this, if Romer can find parties willing to partake in his experiment…</p>

<p>Sounds like colonialism with permission to me.</p>

[dstark]

<p>ThereseR, thanks for the link.</p>

<p>Politically, if the land and improvements were leased for a finite term, the idea might be more palatable.</p>

[soccerguy315]

<p>this idea has “fail” written all over it… it’s terrible.</p>