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The Bottom Billion
- Why the Poorest Countries are Failing and What Can Be Done About It
- Narrated by: Gideon Emery
- Length: 7 hrs and 43 mins
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The Bottom Billion
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Summary
In the universally acclaimed and award-winning The Bottom Billion, Paul Collier reveals that 50 failed states - home to the poorest one billion people on earth - pose the central challenge of the developing world in the 21st century. The book shines much-needed light on this group of small nations, largely unnoticed by the industrialized West, that are dropping further and further behind the majority of the world's people, often falling into an absolute decline in living standards.
A struggle rages within each of these nations between reformers and corrupt leaders - and the corrupt are winning. Collier analyzes the causes of failure, pointing to a set of traps that ensnare these countries, including civil war, a dependence on the extraction and export of natural resources, and bad governance. Standard solutions do not work, he writes; aid is often ineffective, and globalization can actually make matters worse, driving development to more stable nations.
What the bottom billion need, Collier argues, is a bold new plan supported by the Group of Eight industrialized nations. If failed states are ever to be helped, the G8 will have to adopt preferential trade policies, new laws against corruption, new international charters, and even conduct carefully calibrated military interventions. Collier has spent a lifetime working to end global poverty. In The Bottom Billion, he offers real hope for solving one of the great humanitarian crises facing the world today.
Critic reviews
"If Sachs seems too saintly and Easterly too cynical, then Collier is the authentic old Africa hand: he knows the terrain and has a keen ear.... If you've ever found yourself on one side or the other of those arguments -and who hasn't? - then you simply must read this book." (Niall Ferguson, The New York Times Book Review)
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What listeners say about The Bottom Billion
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mariush
- 30-01-24
Eye-opening book
Well written and well supported by the facts. It should be studied by all politicians who feel guilty about colonialism but forget what's going on in Africa and Asia today.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Steve
- 01-08-14
Thought provoking and inspirational
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
Yes I would recommend this audiobook.
There are some striking observations about poverty and the four 'traps' which leave a section of the worlds population in the 'bottom billion' with little chance of escaping. It explains how the plight of the bottom billion affect us all and consider the factors that maintain the current position then examines why this is the case - e.g. assessment of development aid, why this is so important and yet is only part of the solution; assessment of international government policies and why they tend to hinder rather than help progress. Finally the book has many profound suggestions which could help close the gap for the bottom billion and minimise the prospect of the four traps.
It is well researched with plenty of examples to back up the hypothesis.
What did you like best about this story?
Lots of interesting examples of how the world views the bottom billion, and how certain key players (e.g. Governments, Aid industry, Global businesses) behave in a way that is sometimes counter-intuitive.
What about Gideon Emery’s performance did you like?
Easy to listen to- informative and at a good pace.
Any additional comments?
An inspirational book with great ideas to change the world. Astounding to think this was written in 2007 - change seems to be slow since then with much of what is written here still applicable today.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Edward Brinton-Quinn
- 01-05-18
Brilliant book if you study Development Economics
Ive been doing a bit of reading (or listening) around devlopment economics and most of the books I have read have reietrated the same points over and over again. This book however adds a new twist on allot of accepted ideas. 100%, would recommend.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- J R
- 01-04-20
Some truths do not age with time
Clear specific actions, from the developed world perspective using the instrumentalities of developed nations to alleviate Bottom Billion problems.
Which earns it my 5 star rating.
Bottom Billion nations might be economically poor in relative terms, but despite this adversity, they have produced some of the greatest minds that have been applied to global problems.
A Made for Nigeria, Made by Nigerians, Socio-economic Blue-print.
I have used that phrase (because it is shorter than Bottom Billion) to wish for a forum where the great minds of the bottom billion countries could come together and develop a Socio-economic development CHARTER using this book as a frame of reference.
Regardless of geographical location, nationality, ideology or faith, lack of development (poverty by any other name) is first and foremost a HUMAN BEING problem.
Afterall, who knows the problems of the bottom billion, and the way out, better than those who live it daily... like I do.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- RP
- 27-12-18
Loved it as it answered a lot of questions but...
Well written, well narrated, answered lots of questions but also made me think of plenty more. I would like to see the next book provide individual suggestions for each country as to what should be done in/ for each to pull them out of poverty.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- R. B. Colver
- 03-06-21
Interesting and enlightening
It's a bit dry and talks about economics more than sociology but it's valuable information that we need to know if working to improve global equality.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Vincent
- 27-09-18
Intriguing
While some things in the book have been overtaken by events over the past 10 years, it is still a good read. A few things however are not factual. Also, the author seems to be clouded by his opinions.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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- Andy T
- 23-03-24
Worthy but dated.
Thoughtful and insightful, but I guess it’s 15 years old now. Things have moved on, so this is probably a foundational book rather than a contemporary one.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 23-04-21
An interesting listen
Lots of market liberalisation propaganda disguised as "helping the bottom billion". I disagree with most of what this guy says, his suggestions wouldn't help the bottom billion but rather just spread the problem as everyone is set on a course of a race to the bottom.
But it is an interesting listen and good to understand how someone like this thinks. Some of the problems presented are valid and also interesting. Worth a listen
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