The End of Poverty vs.The White Man's Burden

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In this book Jeffrey Sachs focuses on trying to inform the global population that the state of the poorest countries in the world is completely unacceptable. He talks about the reality that although the richest countries in the world, mainly comprising of western states have been trying to aid or at least claiming to be helping in the fight against global poverty has not been doing enough to achieve this goal. In his book Jeffrey Sachs utilizes several countries, specifically Malawi, Bangladesh, India and China to show or represent the various stages of economic development and expresses it through the use of a ladder concept where there has to be a climb out of poverty. Jeffrey Sachs starts out by describing his experiences upon visiting Nthandire a small village in Malawi one of Sub-Saharan Africa's impoverished countries and one that he describes as The Perfect Storm. He recounts that this town alone has been decimated by AIDS a disease that he describes as now being treatable at the cost of a few dollars per medication. He describes a scene where a grand mother has to take care of up to 15 orphaned young children because all their parents have already died to AIDS. Due to the overwhelming spread and destruction of AIDS in that area only 5 able bodied men were left. Another sickness that is preventable yet still seems to be a major killer due to the lack of supplies or facilities is Malaria. A woman had to carry a child 10km just to have her treated for Malaria and then carry her back home the next morning. Something that could be prevented simply by the use of Malaria treated mosquito nets. He then goes and further elaborates that on a light day clinical wards where available have 2 patients to 1 bed, and at times he has eve...

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...a new form of economics, which he calls “clinical economics.” This aims to improve the lot of the poor by scientific diagnosis of each nation’s specific economic problems and issues so as to have a tailor made solution for each of them. His experiences in tackling these type of issues is seen as he has helped countries such as Bolivia, Poland, Russia, China, and India to move out of economic chaos. He has also called out the United States to stop focusing on the Military option in fighting terrorism but instead focus on the factors that bring about terrorism. He shows that the United States has consistently claimed to have given more economic assistance than what it has actually given. He supports the United Nations estimation of a 0.7 percent of Gross National Product given in direct assistance from rich to poor nations as the target that can end extreme poverty.

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