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Review
"It is always a pleasure to discover Paul Collier's latest thoughts... always illuminating and grounded in rigorous social science... it's gripping stuff." --Literary Review, March 2009
Review
"It's hard to be unmoved by [Collier's] anger about the world's blindness to realities, his passion to do things better."
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I liked The Bottom Billion, but was disappointed with this - bits of it were fairly patchy, or used some proxies that don't really show what he argued they showed. I'm not a stats expert, so I won't go into detail, but I know a number of academics that really hate this book because they argue that the statistics are deeply misleading.
What I will comment on, is his manipulation of the case studies to prove his point. In particular, in his case study of Cote d'Ivoire, he talked about Robert Guei leading a coup against Laurent Gbagbo in 2002, which simply isn't true. I was in Cote d'Ivoire at the time of the events in question, and it was universally known that Guei had nothing to do with the coup, which was run by a group of Northern officers and politicians. When it became clear that the coup wouldn't succeed in Abidjan, Gbagbo took the opportunity to wipe out some political opponents, including Guei and Alassane Ouattara, who narrowly escaped over the wall to the German Ambassador's house. Of course, if you accept the government line, you would believe that Guei was storming the radio station in his pyjamas, surrounded by his wife, kids and domestic staff, all of whom were killed in the firefight.
A basic google search could have turned up this information (I've just done one), but instead he chose to use a misleading case study that 'proved' his point. It just so happens that I know enough about Cote d'Ivoire to know that this was wrong, but it makes me wonder about everything else in the book that I don't know a lot about.
What I will comment on, is his manipulation of the case studies to prove his point. In particular, in his case study of Cote d'Ivoire, he talked about Robert Guei leading a coup against Laurent Gbagbo in 2002, which simply isn't true. I was in Cote d'Ivoire at the time of the events in question, and it was universally known that Guei had nothing to do with the coup, which was run by a group of Northern officers and politicians. When it became clear that the coup wouldn't succeed in Abidjan, Gbagbo took the opportunity to wipe out some political opponents, including Guei and Alassane Ouattara, who narrowly escaped over the wall to the German Ambassador's house. Of course, if you accept the government line, you would believe that Guei was storming the radio station in his pyjamas, surrounded by his wife, kids and domestic staff, all of whom were killed in the firefight.
A basic google search could have turned up this information (I've just done one), but instead he chose to use a misleading case study that 'proved' his point. It just so happens that I know enough about Cote d'Ivoire to know that this was wrong, but it makes me wonder about everything else in the book that I don't know a lot about.
19 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I've lived in Nairobi, and worked in Bosnia. So I'd seen the NGO gravy-train in all its sordid splendor, confirming my opinion that "aid is a method of transferring money from poor people in rich countries to rich people in poor countries".
At the same time I believed that we should be exporting democracy at the point of a bayonet...for everyone's sake. But it didn't seem to be working, and I didn't know why.
'Wars Guns & Votes' was recommended to me by an old Kenya hand, because it speaks about these issues - and more. Professor Collier's book explains why aid is currently likely to do as much damage as good. But he goes on to suggest plausable ways to mend the problem.
Similarly, reading this book has convinced me that we have all been kidding ourselves about the sham democracy that African elections so often disguise. Insisting that Presidents simply allow a vote achieves nothing. But linking a more accountable aid scheme with nation-building, military support and a real democracy in the way he suggests here might just bring the boat home.
I hope some big cheese reads this book, and is brave enough to take its advice to heart. But to anyone who is trying to form an opinion about Africa's political future, this book is also a must. It's sometimes a little drawn out, but on the whole Collier's self effacing style overcomes his need to produce the sort of lofty academic tome that usually flourishes in centres of higher learning.
At the same time I believed that we should be exporting democracy at the point of a bayonet...for everyone's sake. But it didn't seem to be working, and I didn't know why.
'Wars Guns & Votes' was recommended to me by an old Kenya hand, because it speaks about these issues - and more. Professor Collier's book explains why aid is currently likely to do as much damage as good. But he goes on to suggest plausable ways to mend the problem.
Similarly, reading this book has convinced me that we have all been kidding ourselves about the sham democracy that African elections so often disguise. Insisting that Presidents simply allow a vote achieves nothing. But linking a more accountable aid scheme with nation-building, military support and a real democracy in the way he suggests here might just bring the boat home.
I hope some big cheese reads this book, and is brave enough to take its advice to heart. But to anyone who is trying to form an opinion about Africa's political future, this book is also a must. It's sometimes a little drawn out, but on the whole Collier's self effacing style overcomes his need to produce the sort of lofty academic tome that usually flourishes in centres of higher learning.
26 of 29 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I came late to the Bottom Billion and by the time I had finished it this sequel had just arrived. I got it straight away. It follows the same approach of using rigorous academic analysis and then drawing conclusions and action plans.
The analysis of elections, ethnic identity, coups and wars is stimulating and set in the context of UK, US and European developments, not least in that mysterious period in UK history between the end of the Romans and somewhere around 1500 - which is much like Africa today. The proposals for progress are sensible and are built around accountability and security. The penultimate chapter title is "Better dead than fed" and sums up the relationship between food (survival) and the opportunities from federations.
Readers of the Bottom Billion will be pleased to know that this book includes a full list of the countries in an appendix. Both books went to press before the "Lehman disconnect" and the onset of the latest financial and economic crisis: we must hope that the third in the series will not be called the bottom two billion. Some countries, such as Pakistan which gets a passing mention, seem determined to join Afghanistan and the five Central Asian states in the list - and none seem inclined to leave.
In truth, the book mostly concentrates on Africa - anyone wanting to know more about the likes of Bolivia, Cambodia, the Central Asian states or Haiti will not find much here other than general principles.
Professor Collier has an engaging style and as well as being stimulating it is a good read as well. He is a master of the colon: I know of no other book with as many. His occasional intemperate outbursts are a joy. This is a really good book for anyone interested in the world around them, Africa, aid, the application of academic research to real-life problems - and on many other levels too. Recommended.
The analysis of elections, ethnic identity, coups and wars is stimulating and set in the context of UK, US and European developments, not least in that mysterious period in UK history between the end of the Romans and somewhere around 1500 - which is much like Africa today. The proposals for progress are sensible and are built around accountability and security. The penultimate chapter title is "Better dead than fed" and sums up the relationship between food (survival) and the opportunities from federations.
Readers of the Bottom Billion will be pleased to know that this book includes a full list of the countries in an appendix. Both books went to press before the "Lehman disconnect" and the onset of the latest financial and economic crisis: we must hope that the third in the series will not be called the bottom two billion. Some countries, such as Pakistan which gets a passing mention, seem determined to join Afghanistan and the five Central Asian states in the list - and none seem inclined to leave.
In truth, the book mostly concentrates on Africa - anyone wanting to know more about the likes of Bolivia, Cambodia, the Central Asian states or Haiti will not find much here other than general principles.
Professor Collier has an engaging style and as well as being stimulating it is a good read as well. He is a master of the colon: I know of no other book with as many. His occasional intemperate outbursts are a joy. This is a really good book for anyone interested in the world around them, Africa, aid, the application of academic research to real-life problems - and on many other levels too. Recommended.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Bullets and Ballot Boxes
Political power is a fact of life. It can be wielded for good or for ill. It is much likely to serve better purposes if it can be shown that those wielding it deserve to have and... Read more
Published 6 months ago by F Henwood
a must read for everyone
ever wondered why the world is like it is, then read this book and you will be at least a little more in touch with reality.
Published 12 months ago by Mr. N. J. Powe
Collier fails to impress
I first heard Paul Collier speak at a UK Government Economic Service conference about four or five years ago. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Chola Mukanga
Wars, Guns and Votes - Democracy in Dangerous Places by Paul Collier
This is the book to read if you are one of those who despair at the plight of "The Bottom Billion" - the number of those of the world's population who live in abject poverty and,... Read more
Published on 1 Sep 2009 by Dr. Richard N. Strange
Changing Reality
The last chapter of Collier's excellent and readable book, is called Changing Reality. And that is what really matters. Read more
Published on 29 July 2009 by Laurie Lee
Thought Provoking
As a frequent visitor to all parts of Africa I had observed many of the issues to which this book refers. It brought my observations into sharp relief. Read more
Published on 16 April 2009 by C. J. SAVAGE
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