Poverty

The World Bank's Africa Strategy

June 2011
Patrick Bond

Whose interest does the ten-year Strategy document for Africa actually serve? The World Bank has shown little insight into the real problems Africa faces, focusing instead on ineffective policies, support for repressive regimes and projects that are known to have failed.

Creating a Nation of Poor, Sick and Ignorant

June 2010
Boris Kagarlitsky

A new bill has been passed in Russia that will extensively roll back Government funding of education, the arts and social services - by introducing per capita financing - that will punish smaller towns and downgrade quality in the larger ones.

La corrupción y la trampa de la pobreza en el Tercer Mundo

May 2010
Walden Bello

 

La máxima "corrupción-causante-de-pobreza" se ha convertido en una herramienta frecuente en el hegemónico kit discursivo de los líderes de los países en vías de desarrollo. A pesar de que en la práctica resulta que las políticas económicas neoliberales son realmente las  culpables de la pobreza, asegura Waldon Bello. Sin embargo, los "camisas rojas" en Tailandia no se dejan distraer por la línea de "corrupción" que marcan el Banco Mundial y el FMI. Todo lo contrario; han decidido mantener su mirada en el objetivo (la verdadera respuesta a la pobreza) y luchar por que las políticas económicas a favor del pueblo sustituyan al neoliberalismo.

Is Corruption the Cause? The Poverty Trap

May 2010
Walden Bello

The “corruption-causes-poverty” narrative has become a standard tool in the hegemonic discourse kit for leaders in some developing countries - where in fact, Waldon Bello argues, it is neoliberal economic policies that are really to blame for poverty. Thailand’s “Red Shirts” are not, however, being distracted by the “corruption” line the World Bank and IMF are pushing, choosing instead to keep their eyes on the prize - the real answer to poverty - replacing neoliberalism with pro-people economic policies.