The Great Escape: Health, Wealth, and the Origins of Inequality

First 3/4 of book is an explanation and history of inequality in the world, both between countries and within countries. Well done, but a little too full of facts and figures and charts for my preference. But I really liked the last part of the book, which was a damning critique on foreign aid.

A generally balanced, thorough, and readable survey of the literature on global development, poverty, inequality and health. It charts "The Great Escape" as country's go into self-sustaining growth, mortality greatly improves, and living standards rise. But it also discusses the many way those links can get broken, how income does not always translate into health and how inequality can break some of the link between growth and the typical family. The book is largely data based and contains thoughtful discussions of some of the complexities in, for example, global poverty comparisons or PPP comparisons.

The place where the book takes the strongest stance is against foreign aid. Angus Deaton grounds his argument more in Peter Bauer than show more his modern successors like Bill Easterly, but overall thinks the empirical connection between aid and growth is non-existent and that politically aid is distributed poorly, props up corrupt regimes, and gets in the way of growth. Overall he subscribes to the view that if you have all the materials for growth then you can attract capital and grow without aid. Instead he prescribes policies that include research into tropical diseases/agriculture and fewer distortions from the West--so more free trade, less agriculture subsidies, etc.

Overall, the book did not have a lot of breakthrough new ideas or original insights but overall was a worthwhile read. show less

The 2015 winner of the Nobel Prize for Economics wrote an excellent and accessible analysis of cyclical poverty and welfare.

Need to re-read to fully understand this book and all of its implications.
Would consider buying this one

A closer scientific look into the economics of wellbeing.

Ensayo histórico económico en que su autor señala las rutas de escape que permiten a unos salir de una condición social marginal y a otros quedarse en el intento, tanto a nivel individuo como país. Angus Deaton, cuenta la historia de aquellos mecanismos que hace 250 años, hicieron que algunos países comenzaran a experimentar un progreso sostenido, abriendo brechas y configurando el escenario para el mundo enormemente desigual que existe hoy. A través una mirada profunda a los patrones históricos y actuales detrás de la salud y la riqueza de las naciones, se ocupa de lo que hay que hacer para ayudar a los que se están quedando atrás.