The Paradox Of Wealth And Poverty: Mapping The Ethical Dilemmas Of Global Development [Hardcover]

Daniel Little (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0813365937 | ISBN-13: 978-0813365930 | Publication Date: January 3, 2003

We live in a time of human paradoxes. Scientific knowledge has reached a level of sophistication that permits understanding of the most arcane phenomena and yet religious fundamentalism dominates in many parts of the world. We witness the emergence of a civil, liberal constitutionalism in many regions of the world and yet ethnic violence threatens the lives and dignity of millions. And we live in a time of rapid economic and technological advance and yet several billions of people live in persistent debilitating poverty. In this book, Daniel Little dissects these paradoxes offering the clearest perspective on how best to approach international development.Using both empirical and philosophical approaches, Little provides a schematic acquaintance with the most important facts about global development at the turn of the twentieth century. In doing so, he explores what appear to be the most relevant moral principles and insights that ought to be invoked as we consider these facts and then draws conclusions about what sorts of values and goals ought to guide economic development in the twenty-first century.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...should serve as a useful single volume for readers wishing to get acquainted with the literature on development ethics." -- Kok-Chor Tan, University of Pennsylvania

"A lucid and thoughtful exposition of the core ethical issues involved in 'development'....it deserves a wide readership." -- John Harriss, London School of Economics

About the Author

Daniel Little is associate professor of philosophy at Colgate University and visiting scholar at the Center for International Affairs, Harvard University.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Westview Press (January 3, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0813365937
• ISBN-13: 978-0813365930
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,717,991 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Daniel Little is chancellor of the University of Michigan-Dearborn. He serves as professor of philosophy at UM-Dearborn and professor of sociology at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. His research interests fall within the philosophy and methodology of the social sciences, and he has a special interest in China and Southeast Asia. He writes frequently on topics at the intersection of philosophy, sociology, and globalization. He is a regular participant in the Social Science History Association and the Association for Asian Studies.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive & easy read on Development Ethics, January 13, 2004

By 

"reshmacs" (DESTIN, London School of Economics, London, UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Paradox Of Wealth And Poverty: Mapping The Ethical Dilemmas Of Global Development (Paperback)

Synopsis:

This monograph may be aptly called an introductory insight into the issues pertaining to development and its foundational ethics. In an effort to map the ethical dilemmas of global development, Daniel Little, starts with conceptualising the model of the person. The intrinsic importance of human well-being is asserted and eventually he identifies the basic needs and a normative set of requirements for substantial human capacity realization. Economic development is defined comprehensively along with a positive and normative focus on goals and strategies of development. Development is discussed within the realms of justice and human rights and the consequential importance of global economic development is highlighted as a means to achieve justice and foster human rights at a global level. Global trade, development aid and globalisation is examined to analyse the historic and current trends in dealing with the issue of international development and suggestions have been made to tailor these instruments to foster sustainable development for less developed countries. Little also focuses on the concern of environmental sustainability and compares the ethical issues at stake when the well being of future generations have to be factored into the calculus of economic development. Democracy and its institutional parameters are explored to elucidate the importance of political and social freedoms and its direct relevance to the issue of development. In conclusion, the idea of a global civil society is proposed to further Little's aspiration of practical utopia, which I assume is a hope that most of us would cherish.

Critique:

The importance of human well-being and the inherent significance of the person has been highlighted throughout the book and this recurring theme has been repeatedly used to further arguments. The average reader will recall Little's moral justification of the person as perhaps the most prominent theme of this monograph. Although the array of topics covered in this book are diverse ranging from justice to global trade and from environment to democracy, the author makes a genuine effort to focus on the context of global development and relate each issue discussed to the moral foreground of development ethics.

The lucidity and simplicity of Little's writing style is perhaps the most focal forte of the book. This book may be deemed as a perfect read for an audience who may not be well versed with the development economics literature, as most technical terms or concepts used in the book have been defined before they are used in the analysis of the issue at hand. Applicable topics have been discussed with an optimal amount of depth in accordance with the scope of the readership. Little has aptly identified and illustrated the core issues that have significant relevance to the issue of development. On the other hand, at times certain arguments seem quite repetitive and as Little makes an effort to further his arguments in each chapter he tends to reiterate particular points. Perhaps this kind of repetition occurs due to his caution to keep the average intended reader in mind, who is not very familiar with development economics. Although a comprehensive read with persistent themes like human well-being, global justice and democracy, the paradox of wealth and poverty as suggested in the title of the book is not quite addressed in the conclusion. The so called paradox seems to be lingering in the distinct issues brought forth by the author and very appropriately the book concludes on a positive futuristic note with a clear suggestion of the almost unattainable yet possible hope of global utopia.

In a nutshell, "The Paradox of Wealth and Poverty: Mapping the Ethical Dilemmas of Global Development", is a great read for an overview of the issue of development and the related ethical concerns. For novice readers of the subject it is a comprehensive guide to understand the panorama of development ethics and for the reader who is already well versed in the subject matter this book serves as a snapshot of the core development issues. Anyone interested in global justice and a better future for the world at large should definitely read this book!