Paul Collier on the Bottom BILLION

View the video at http://www.ted.com/talks/paul_collier_shares_4_ways_to_help_the_bottom_billion.html

The alliance of compassion and enlightened self-interest change the world.
compassion: a billion people have not been given credit hope. human tragedy.

Provide hope for the bottom billion
What is the last time the rich world got serious about developing another region of the world? Late 1940s.
Marshall aid.
But...US opened markets, reversed the trade policy and security policy by put troops to Europe, tore up 11 commencements-national sovereignty, found the UN and OECD, IMF.
US supported systems for mutual government support.

Now, it is not reversing the Europe, but reversing the divergence for the bottom billion.
GOVERNANCE, enormously important
optimism about the BB, commodity booms.
But the revenue flow dwarfs aid. the flow of resources are without precedent.
Transformational development.
Export!
SR: hunky dory
LR: humpty dumpty, ended up worse, growth of increased price
The level of governance is critical.
spread of democracy-- it made a mass of resource boom.
They need strong checks and balances. We can help them by some international standards, that gov. report their revenue. wrong eg. selling the rights of resource exaction.

They are struggling with change. We can help them to change.
Why on earth they are not there?  Until we have a critical mass of informed citizens in our own societies, politicians will get away with gestures. Build an informed citizenry.
the process of communication, a culture of self-effacement.
We need a critical mass of informed citizenry.
PLEASE BECOME AMBASSADORS.

"Collier is not charismatic, but his argument is compelling. "