“Poor Economics”
Reading Notes/Quotes
“Poverty is not just a lack of money. It’s not having the capability to realize one’s full potential as a human being.” -Amartya Sen
“Talking about the problems of the world without talking about some accessible solutions is the way to paralyze rather than progress.” (15)
“The poor often resist the wonderful plans we think up for them because they do not share our faith that those plans work, or work as well as we claim.” (40)
“Generally, its clear that things that make life less boring are a priority for the poor…the basic human need for a pleasant life might explain why food spending has been declining in India (with increased prosperity). Today, television signals reach into remote regions, and there are more things to buy, even in remote villages.” (42)
Childhood nutrition programs, such as deworming and micronutrient fortification will lead to significant lifetime income gains-these should be an integral part of post-conflict/poverty trapped education development programs; both the awareness and distribution should be hubbed out of local educational establishments, using teachers as the front line combatants against malnutrition. “The social returns of directly investing in children and pregnant mother nutrition are tremendous. The rich world is still caught in the wrong thinking that the poor need more cheap grain-this is not the case-they need more nutrients.” (44)
When one has been continually let down, or failed by the state charged with providing for their wellbeing and security and provision of public goods, how do we expect that person to then turn around with open arms when the state suddenly decides to “act” in the public good, often at the pressuring of outside organizations or nations? If this is not intrinsic to governance, it is very hard to turn around. There is an embedded complacency and a sense of low expectation, which spreads like ripples through a society in the converse of ripples of hope, as the result of the non-functioning or vampire state. This will parlay into what Richard Kapuscinski calls “moribound waiting” as the default physical response to many social situations.
