The Voice of the Poor: Essays in Economic and Political Persuasion - Tapa dura

Piously but astutely, Galbraith hits the shared American and Soviet penchant for ignoring historical evolution in their rush to implant advanced capitalism or socialism in infant nations' economies. He lucidly shows how newly free nations with self-governing urges confound 'imperialist' politics. Finally, he assails the tragic stupidities inherent in U.S. and Soviet arms sales to poor countries, to conclude with prayers for the future. A concise and enlightened view of the currently most widely held theories on economic development.

What is surprising about these essays is not the insight and grace with which they are written--we have come to expect that--but the fact that nobody has expressed matters in quite this way before. John Kenneth Galbraith writes about what advice the poor nations (as, avoiding euphemism, he calls them) ought to offer to the more fortunate countries...In this little book there are essential lessons to ponder--for the governments of the rich countries, for those of the poor lands, and for the concerned citizens of both.