Future Positive: International Co-Operation in the 21st Century [Paperback]

Michael Edwards (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2001

Based on wide first-hand experience of the international failures of the last half-century, this volume argues that in an increasingly interdependent world, no-one has a future unless we work together. It describes the prospects for new international order, one that makes a fitting legacy to future generations. Covering a large amount of ground in non-technical language, it explains how the international system operates, the pressures it faces and the changes it must undergo. Tackling the big questions of globalization and national interest head-on, it provides practical resources for those in search of a politics that is more humane and less destructive.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Michael Edwards, in his book "Future Positive," captures the essence of the dilemmas of the current economic relations between the rich and poor countries, where the process of globalization has brought benefits to mainly developed countries of the North, while the developing countries of the South are still struggling to survive within this integrated world economy." -- Thabo Mbeki, President of South AfricaAt last, a hard-headed but soft-hearted vision of global cooperation - respecting our differences, avoiding top-down 'solutions, ' expanding the number of voices at the table, yet moving forward together on clear goals. This is an optimistic book at a time when the global pessimists rule the intellectual roost." -- Robert B. Reich, University Professor of Social and Economic Policy, Brandeis University, and former US Secretary of Labor "Michael Edwards' 'Future Positive'...offers a careful and realistic portrait of...the potential role of cooperation in domesticating the competitive ethos of the global economy. He takes intervention to be 'the dominant theme of the last 50 years' and cooperation--potentially--to be the 'dominant theme of the next 50 years' and then sets out to show how this might actually come to pass. It is an important thesis on behalf of institutional cooperation and deserves a reading." -- Benjamin R. Barber, Los Angeles Times "Future Positive succeeds in being both blunt and gentle. It is packed with data and case histories that make the analysis impossible to dismiss. It levies stern indictments but does so with a compassion that does not dehumanize. And it appeals to the best in us in ways that are compelling. Thank you for the gift of this book's gentle butunmitigated candor." -- Edgar Cahn, Founder of the Time Dollar Institute and creator of Time Banking. "At a time when aid fatigue threatens global cooperation and debates on the global order have become increasingly acrimonious, this well-informed and compassionate book states the case for human solidarity with unusual lucidity and grounded optimism." -- Thandika Mkandawire, Executive Director, United Nations Research Institute for Social Development"Future Positive" is a potent blend of vision and pragmatism. Michael Edwards challenges all of us - NGOs, governments, corporations and consumers - to move beyond our conventional ways of thinking and join together to create a just and responsible international system." -- Peter Bell, President of CARE and Co-Chair of the Inter-American Dialogue"Refreshingly readable and optimistic" -- Foreign Policy Centre Newsletter"This courageous book pursues the biggest issue of all: how international cooperation can be raised to a higher level. The pursuit is full of intellectual excitement, arriving at conclusions that are inspiring and challenging."-- John Toye, UNCTAD "Mike Edwards' vision of cooperation is powerful and persuasive. His arguments for why ideas about cooperation need to change are balanced and cogent. It is particularly refreshing to read a book which sets out how such changes might be achieved, and which is fundamentally optimistic that they can be." -- David Bryer, Director, Oxfam "In this important book, Michael Edwards powerfully sets out the case for cooperation at local, national, regional and global levels, to help harness and humanize the global economy."-- Frances Stewart, Professor of Development Economics, University ofOxford "Future Positive is an optimistic vision of how to get to a future where people cooperate universally to end injustice, poverty and conflict. Michael Edwards has a passion for finding practical ways to make the world a better place. He deserves to be read widely."-- Tim Garden, Times Higher Education Supplement "Michael Edwards' refreshingly optimistic and readable book calls for widespread reform of an international system which interferes too much in the detail of other people's lives and not enough when it really matters. His approach is wholehearted and convincing. Edwards combines his breadth of vision with a realistic focus on building constituencies for change." -- Natasha Franklin, Foreign Policy Review "What a joy! Each chapter is interesting, observant and sometimes violent in its opinions. I urge you to read this book because you will need to take a position yourself, whether you are donor or recipient, from the rich or poor world."-- Michael Brophy, Alliance Magazine "This comprehensive and profound work presents a new perspective on how to deal with the emerging problems and challenges for the global community. Michael Edwards' optimistic vision for the future gives inspiration as well as alternative means of resolving humanitarian crises, inequality, poverty and violence." -- Connections Magazine "This book belongs to a small minority of analyses of world politics that are inspired yet modest, deep yet readable. Edwards' rich combination of personal resources generates powerful insights and compelling prescriptions. However, Edwards does not preach down; he shares his ideas in ways that leave the reader feeling enabled and enthusiastic."-- Jan Art Scholte,International Journal of Urban and Regional Research"Michael Edwards grapples with a central dilemma of our times: the growing mismatch between a rapidly globalizing economy and political decisions that remain largely national. He argues persuasively for new forms of global governance that are as flexible and decentralized as the new economy itself. As 'non-governmental organizations' demand a greater role in setting the agenda for global problem-solving, Edwards' emphasis on NGO's corresponding obligation to be more open and accountable is especially valuable." -- Will Marshall, President, Progressive Policy Institute" [This book] is by Michael Edwards, who after twenty years of experience in international development and mounting disillusionment, stepped back to find a better way for people, agencies and governments to work together productively." -- Constructive Citizen Participation

From the Publisher

Customer Comments Average Customer Rating: ***** Number of Reviews: 2 [e-mail] from New York , 29 May, 2000 Future Positive: A reason for Amazon to add a sixth star! Future Positive does an outstanding job of summarizing the state of international development today, what brought us to this point, and a concrete roadmap for positive change in the future.

The author, Michael Edwards, hits the nail on the head again and again with insightful analysis of past events and creative, yet firmly rooted, stategies for the future.

I urge anyone that is interesting in the future of our world to read this book.

It is what I call "International Development 101" for those seeking to understand the field. For those working in the field of International Development this is a must read. I have made it required reading at our organization for all staff members and for every volunteer that goes to the field with our program.

Steven Rosenthal, Executive Director, Cross-Cultural Solutions --This text refers to the paperback edition of this title

A reader from London , 15 April, 2000 ***** An inspiring but practical guide to managing globalisation Most books on globalisation and international relations are too dense to wade through, or too biased either for or against markets, trade and corporations. This one is different, since it is written like a conversation with the reader, and manages to be fair to all sides in the debate while still being tough in terms of its prescriptions and recommendations. The first part of the book is a very strong critique of the international system over the last 50 years - the failures of foreign aid, humanitarian intervention, international institutions and NGOs. The second part of the book is more uplifting, offering concrete suggestions on reforming the aid donors, 'humanising capitalism', generating new institutions for global governance, and building constituencies for internationalism and co-operative living in the West. It also has a moving Conclusion which summarises an incredible amount of information and personalises the whole story in a way that made me want to run out and joi! n my nearest Oxfam shop! Edwards is a good writer, and knows his field from back to front. Highly recommended. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Earthscan Pubns Ltd (June 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1853837407
• ISBN-13: 978-1853837401
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,391,333 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Michael Edwards is widely recognized as one of the world's leading authorities on civil society, philanthropy, and social change. For the past thirty years, he has worked to strengthen the contributions of ordinary citizens to their communities as a grant giver, writer, advocate, organizer, and activist across five continents, and has lived and worked in Zambia, Malawi, Colombia, India, the UK, and the United States. Michael graduated from Oxford University with a "congratulatory" first-class honors degree in geography, and was awarded a Ph.D. by the University of London for his work on housing the urban poor in Latin America. Dissatisfied with academic research, he entered the world of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in 1982 and spent the next fifteen years as a senior manager in international relief and development NGOs, including Oxfam GB, Save the Children UK, the Prasad Foundation, and Voluntary Service Overseas. During this time, Michael became known for his innovative thinking about NGOs and development, and in 1998 he was invited to join the World Bank in Washington, D.C., as a senior adviser on civil society, where he led a program to improve the agency's engagement with a wide range of nongovernmental groups. Two years later, he was appointed as director of the Ford Foundation's Governance and Civil Society Program in New York, overseeing grants totaling more than $900 million between 1999 and 2008, when he left to become a Distinguished Senior Fellow at Demos, a Network for Ideas and Action, in New York; a senior visiting scholar at New York University's Wagner School of Public Service; and a senior visiting fellow at the Brooks World Poverty Institute at Manchester University in the UK. Michael also cofounded the Seasons Fund for Social Transformation, which makes grants to voluntary organizations that combine their work for social justice with spiritual principles. Michael is the author of thirteen books and hundreds of articles and op-ed pieces, and his writings have changed the way we think about voluntary action and the transformation of society. He writes regularly for openDemocracy, the Financial Times, the Chronicle of Philanthropy, and many other newspapers and magazines, and is a featured speaker at literary festivals and other events around the world. He lives with his wife, Cora, a nonprofit-fund-raising consultant who also teaches at New York University, in Swan Lake, a small community in the foothills of the Catskill Mountains of New York, where they have painstakingly rebuilt and renovated one of the first houses built by settlers who arrived in the 1830s to establish a tanning industry in Sullivan County. You can visit Michael's Web site at http://www.futurepositive.org.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Future Positive: A reason for Amazon to add a sixth star!, July 21, 2000

By 

Steven C Rosenthal (New Rochelle, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Future Positive : International Co-Operation in the 21st Century (Hardcover)

Future Positive: A reason for Amazon to add a sixth star!

Future Positive does an outstanding job of summarizing the state of international development today, what brought us to this point, and a concrete roadmap for positive change in the future.

The author, Michael Edwards, hits the nail on the head again and again with insightful analysis of past events and creative, yet firmly rooted, stategies for the future.

I urge anyone that is interesting in the future of our world to read this book. It is what I call "International Development 101" for those seeking to understand the field. For those working in the field of International Development this is a must read.

I have made it required reading at our organization for all staff members and for every volunteer that goes to the field with our program.

Steven Rosenthal, Executive Director, Cross-Cultural Solutions [e-mail]

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring, practical, instructive for mind heart and soul..., November 17, 2000

By 

Juan A. Saenz (san francisco, ca United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Future Positive : International Co-Operation in the 21st Century (Hardcover)

After over a decade of dealing with international co-operation in various capacities, in different locations and on many sides of the equation, this is the first time that I find a book that actually translates my experiences in a way that helps me deeply understand the reasons behind my successes and failures.

Would like to highly recomend this book to anyone who has lost faith in international co-operation, or who is looking for a compass to guide them through the complexities of such an art.

Insightful, inspiring, informed, committed, refreshing and very useful are some of the adjectives that come to me as I write this.

Happy reading

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars exactly what we need after Sepember 11th, January 8, 2002

By 

Alan Jones (New York, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Future Positive: International Co-Operation in the 21st Century (Paperback)

... Make no mistake, this is a rigorous treatment of the international cooperation debate, packed with detailed evidence that is all footnoted at the end. At times this makes for some heavy reading, but it is worth it, since the evidence and the argument all hang together to illumine what has gone wrong in the world since 1945 and what we can do about it. Yes, this does mean "re-balancing the competitive and co-operative rationalities that motivate each one of us" (from the Preface), but in the aftermath of September 11th you would have to be crazy not to understand the importance of global cooperation in addressing threats like terrorism, pollution and poverty. What Edwards shows, better to my mind than any other recent book I've read, is how the original ideals of "international community" after World War II were corrupted into a system of threats and bribes that can never be effective in eliciting real cooperation between countries. Some of his prescriptions for correcting this situation may sound idealistic, but better this than the emptiness and cynicism of much current political debate. Especially since September 11th, I do believe that the world is heading in the direction of a "Future Positive", and this book is a pretty good roadmap to help us along the way.