Customer Reviews

Hypocrisy Trap: The World Bank and the Poverty of Reform

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This is still another in a lengthy series of critiques of the World Bank (and by extension, many other international, public, and private organizations engaged in development assistance). It offers a slightly different twist on the explanations for shortcomings -- the incentives encouraging "hypocrisy". the author is correct (have been there myself) although she may be too sympathetic -- there are knowing hpoocrts, the self-deluded, and othere who stick with the program in the hopes they can change it from within. Maybe that is because she seemed to only get interviews with the latter group -- the knowing hypocrits and self deluded were unlikely to add useful comments or agree to talk. The big question is why, when much of this has been said before, the show goes on. For an answer to that question one may have to rise above the incentives on the individual actors to consider why the incentives line up that way. Still it is a quick and interesting read with many useful examples. Those interested in more frustration or self-flagellation might also want to read Michaela Wrong's "It's our time to eat" a far less sympathetic depiction of a single case.