History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Average customer rating:

Depressing but true
A Devastating Deconstruction of Neo-Liberal Economics
A Wake Up Call that will be Ignored
A warning about the world's future
The crisis of global capitalism

Planet of Slums
Mike Davis
Manufacturer: Verso
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1844670228

Book Description

Celebrated urban theorist lifts the lid on the effects of a global explosion of disenfranchised slum-dwellers.

According to the United Nations, more than one billion people now live in the slums of the cities of the South. In this brilliant and ambitious book, Mike Davis explores the future of a radically unequal and explosively unstable urban world.

From the sprawling barricadas of Lima to the garbage hills of Manila, urbanization has been disconnected from industrialization, even economic growth. Davis portrays a vast humanity warehoused in shantytowns and exiled from the formal world economy. He argues that the rise of this informal urban proletariat is a wholly original development unforeseen by either classical Marxism or neoliberal theory.

Are the great slums, as a terrified Victorian middle class once imagined, volcanoes waiting to erupt? Davis provides the first global overview of the diverse religious, ethnic, and political movements competing for the souls of the new urban poor. He surveys Hindu fundamentalism in Bombay, the Islamist resistance in Casablanca and Cairo, street gangs in Cape Town and San Salvador, Pentecostalism in Kinshasa and Rio de Janeiro, and revolutionary populism in Caracas and La Paz.Planet of Slums ends with a provocative meditation on the "war on terrorism" as an incipient world war between the American empire and the slum poor.

Customer Reviews:

Depressing but true.......2007-06-26

If one just looked at the figures over the last twenty or so years there has been a lot of economic growth in Asia and Latin America. Africa is still troubled with a lot of the sub Sahara countries having negative growth. On balance though one would expect the lot of people in poor countries to be improving. Not so according to this book. What has been happening is incredible increases in urbanisation. However this urbanisation is in the form of slums.

Slums in poorer countries are portrayed as hell holes. People live in grossly overcrowded housing with no access to fresh water. In the slum cities of the third world there is no provision for removal of sewerage so that it runs into the fresh water supply (Sao Paulo) or simply is deposited on the ground. The failure to treat sewerage results in large numbers of deaths mainly to children through dysentery and cholera.

The vast majority of those who live in the slums have the most marginal of jobs. Sitting beside a road selling a few vegetables, cleaning shoes a few times a day. Driving taxis for a few dollars a day. (Apparently one in 7 cars in Lima is a taxi.) One of the tragedies of the slums is that the desperation of families leads to children below 14 being the bread winners of families. Working in Indian textile or carpet factories for minuscule wages for 12 hours a day, losing their childhood and any access to education.

The book is a sustained attack on the Peruvian economist De Soto who posited a theory that the way to overcome the problem of slums is to give title to the slum dwellers of the land they squat on and to make available small loans for "business enterprises". What the book suggests is that in the last twenty or so years since the development of free market ideologies have led to the enforced retreat of the state in poorer countries from economic life there has only been disaster. Potentially the state could do something about water provision, housing or sewerage removal but the poorer countries are at the mercy of international institutions which prevent such anti market activity by tying conditions to loans. The life of slum dwellers is so marginalised that title to slum land will achieve nothing.

The book rather resembles Engels' book on the condition of the English working class in 1844. It is full of rather depressing facts and figures with anecdotes to bring home the nature of the misery and the total degradation of life that exists in the slums. Not a pleasant read but something which is a sober reminder that growth rates alone do not translate automatically into the reduction of poverty or human misery.

A Devastating Deconstruction of Neo-Liberal Economics.......2007-05-29

Mike Davis' main contribution to the scholarship of urban poverty in the Third World is his point-by-point deconstruction of the failure of neo-liberal economic policies, and that when mixed with corruption, racism, and incompetence, make these massive slums the serious and festering sores that they are.

Planet of Slums is a scholarly work replete with charts, tables and footnotes, but is nevertheless very easy to read. Which probably accounts for Davis' popularity as an author. It does not have the boring ponderous qualities found in most academic writing.

I recommend it.

A Wake Up Call that will be Ignored.......2007-05-28

Davis has put together a thorough and damning indictment of the indifference of the human race to the plight of those who are victims of its very mixed economic success. By using mostly official and well credentialed sources, he builds up a picture of the third of humanity that must eke out its existence under conditions that those who are reading this review are unlikely to be able to even imagine. This situation, though Davis does not point the finger that sharply, is the result of both the success of modern medicine in reducing mortality (and hence increasing successful fertility) and an economic system that favors those who have already succeeded - those with education and contacts, however limited, against those without, many of whom have been kept there by the very governments purporting to be in the business of helping them. It is a terrible and tragic story, one likely to have consequences far more difficult to manage than even the daily miseries of the new urban migrants to the great slums of the third world cities. I can only hope that the world will wake up and begin to do something serious about the abuse of people that goes on daily in our midst, but after a lifetime of close personal contact with the situation in India, I am afraid that the very human tendency to look away will prevail, to our ultimate cost.

A warning about the world's future.......2007-04-23

I guess most people never were able to read the 2004 report of the UN's Commission on Human Settlements. Slums around the world are growing ... not declining. Davis's book builds on research showing what a global horror story the current world order is creating. The book suffers from rather dull prose and could have been better organized. However, there's a chance this book might wake people up about what's really happening in the world.

The crisis of global capitalism.......2007-03-28

Mike Davis is always someone to seize an opportunity to decry the horrible situation somewhere, but in this case, it is an exposé that cannot be made often enough. "Planet of Slums" is a catalogue of the institutional failures, the despicable destruction, the filth and pollution, the poverty, misery and want, the disease and cynicism, in short the Verelendung of the worldwide poor that is the inevitable and eternal result of the capitalist mode of production. Within three decades, a stunning two billion people will live in the slums of megacities in the Third World, where all public services are absent, there are no toilets or drinking water, and where even the poor exploit the poor.

Mike Davis, as usual, pulls no punches and takes no prisoners in his description of the effects of the Washington Consensus on these undeveloped nations. Refuting the ideological mythologies of self-help such as De Sotoism and microlending, he demonstrates that the situation in the Third World is bleak and will get bleaker still. The longer the current order of neoliberalism and Structural Adjustment Programmes, led by such philanthropical heros as World Bank director Paul Wolfowitz, goes on, the more the absolute poverty, immiseration and loss of dignity of the world's poor will continue, and the greater inequality will become. Already one-third of the world's workforce is unemployed or underemployed, and worldwide average income has decreased the past decades. The megacities of the global south will become centers of hyper-alienation, and the inevitable result can only be the destruction of the current order, or the destruction of the world. The world's five billion poor are at our door - hear them knock!

You Can Hear Me Now: How Microloans and Cell Phones are Connecting the World's Poor to the Global Economy

Average customer rating:

For the masses
Worth it!
Wonderful example of thinking outside our cultural constraints...
An excellent book that shows how ICTs are effective development tools...

You Can Hear Me Now: How Microloans and Cell Phones are Connecting the World's Poor to the Global Economy
Nicholas P. Sullivan
Manufacturer: Jossey-Bass
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0787986097

Book Description

Bangladeshi villagers sharing cell phones helped build what is now a thriving company with more than $200 million in annual profits. But what is the lesson for the rest of the world? This is a question author Nicholas P. Sullivan addresses in his tale of a new kind of entrepreneur, Iqbal Quadir, the visionary and catalyst behind the creation of GrameenPhone in Bangladesh.

GrameenPhone—a partnership between Norway's Telenor and Grameen Bank, co-winner of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize—defines a new approach to building business opportunities in the developing world. You Can Hear Me Now offers a compelling account of what Sullivan calls the "external combustion engine"—a combination of forces that is sparking economic growth and lifting people out of poverty in countries long dominated by aid-dependent governments. The "engine" comprises three forces: information technology, imported by native entrepreneurs trained in the West, backed by foreign investors.

Customer Reviews:

For the masses.......2007-06-20

You Can Hear Me Now will interest a wide variety of readers. On a personal level, the story of Iqbal Quadir, who at age 36, single-handedly coordinated the effort to bring cellular phone service to one of the poorest countries in our world, is an inspriration. Moving beyond the completion of his college studies in America and entering the workforce, Quadir had not forgotten the struggles of the rural poor of his homeland, Bangladesh. Iqbal Quadir's story is one of creativity, passion, and perseverance not only for a project, but for a people. Beyond the book, the story grows. Readers can expect Mr. Quadir will continue to work toward the alleviation of poverty in Bangladesh through continued efforts with new projects.

As an academic book, readers will discover a revolutionary economist in Quadir. He has used traditional economic theories to develop, solidify, and test his own. He is a noted original thinker and a man of action. "Connectivity is productivity" is Quadir's cry. He is changing the world's view of the risk of investment in developing countries. He is a victor of the race to end poverty.

Mr. Sullivan's well-written references to and explanations of economic concepts are clearly written and easy to understand. This book is a must-read for all students of economics, business, and entrepreneurship. If instructors do not require the book, students should be delving into the material on their free time.

Globally, the impact of Quadir's work in Bangladesh has rippled throughout the developing world with his economic practices and business models duplicated successfully. Iqbal Quadir's story brings hope for a better future for millions of people, and personally, his actions inspire me to question what role I play.

Worth it!.......2007-03-14

It is a story about a man with a vision to empower the poor in Bangladesh (one of the 50 poorest countries in the world according to many global economic reports). Iqbal Quadir had faith in his strategy and the intelligence to lay it in ways to get investment from Grameen Bank and other powerful investors, who may have once been reluctant. If you already have grassroots business ideas, this book is not only an inspiration but it also loosely illustrates the challenges in BOP markets.

Wonderful example of thinking outside our cultural constraints..........2007-02-25

To the typical American (and other developed nation citizens), the cell phone has become part of the normal fabric of life. Communication with anyone at any time from anywhere is just expected. But in countries like Bangladesh, only a very small number of people have access to any type of telephone communication. The book You Can Hear Me Now: How Microloans and Cell Phones are Connecting the World's Poor to the Global Economy by Nicholas P. Sullivan does an excellent job of showing how something as simple as the cell phone can break the cycle of poverty and aid for millions of people.

Contents:
Part 1 - The GrameenPhone Story: Connectivity Is Productivity; Dish-Wallahs of Delhi (and Other Early Models); Cell Phone as Cow - A New Paradigm in Search of Investors; On The Money Trail in Scandinavia; Building a Company; Building a Network
Part 2 - Transformation Through Technology: Wildfile at the Bottom of the Pyramid; Cell Phone as Wallet; Wealth Creation and Rural Income Opportunities; Beyond Phones - In Search of a New "Cow"; Eyeing the Dhaka Stock Exchange
Epilogue; Notes; Resources; Index

The book is split into two parts. The first part covers the story of GrameenPhone's launch in Bangladesh, and the second part is more of a look at the forces behind using technology at the "bottom of the pyramid" (the vast number of people who globally live at poverty level) to connect them to the world's trade economy. Iqbal Quadir was a Bangladeshi who studied and worked in the US and was doing quite well. But he was also concerned about the massive levels of poverty in his home country. Once day he was standing on the street and had an epiphany about communication equaling productivity. His people worked hard, but they had no way to reliably communicate with others except by face to face meetings. All that wasted time meant there was untapped potential just waiting to be utilized. He started talking with Muhammad Yunus, founder of Grameen Bank (originator of microloan programs) to see how communication technology could be rolled out to the entire country, making a phone available to anyone near a village. Without government aids and grants, Quadir put together a consortium of foreign investors and Grameen Bank to build GrameenPhone, a life-altering company. Using a fiber-optic line already laid next to the country's rail line, they were able to place cell towers in areas to cover all the rural areas of Bangladesh. Then using microloans from Grameen Bank, "phone ladies" could buy a cell phone for the village, offer the phone service, and sell the time in small increments. The cell phone gave a business to the village, in addition to creating subsidiary jobs and opportunities with the communication that was enabled by having phone service throughout the country. It's this use of technology that's advocated in the second part of the book as an example of how business opportunities can remove the grip of poverty from nations and lead to living wages instead of handouts.

You Can Hear Me Now is an inspirational book with plenty of lessons for those who are willing to look outside the normal constraints of what we consider business opportunities.

An excellent book that shows how ICTs are effective development tools..........2007-01-29

This is a well-written, well-researched book that clarifies the substantial role that ICTs are playing in developing countries. It showcases Iqbal Quadir, who founded GrameenPhone in Bangladesh, and shows how he risked his investment banking career on Wall Street to go back to his native country to improve it. There is a lesson here not just for US/EU immigrants from poor countries, but for everyone interested in developmental economics and aiding poor countries: charity is not the only way. In fact, as the World Bank conceded, its efforts at poverty alleviation are failing. This book shows how GrameenPhone, a company that generates profit and is majority-owned by a European telecommunications company, is a positive force for improving Bangladesh. It has provided cell phone service, where no telephones existed. It has created jobs and made the entire economy more efficient. Indirectly, it has empowered the masses and connected them to the global village.

For readers with an interest in Grameen Bank, Professor Yunus (2006 Nobel Peace Prize), telecommunications, but also entrepreneurship, I think you will find that this book is a must-read. Also, for those following the Jeffrey Sachs, Bono, Bill Gates, UN Millennium Goals, Stiglitz, Easterly debate this is also very relevant. I hope that Mr. Sullivan follows this book up with another one that showcases how innovative men and women like Quadir can change the world and also make a profit for investors (which encourages them to continue to invest in developing countries).

After reading this book, I bought several copies for people I know in Business School, because I think it will inspire them to be successful and also think about how to improve economic opportunity in the developing world, through bottom-up entrepreneurship.

Eyes of the Heart: Seeking a Path for the Poor in the Age of Globalization

Average customer rating:

Short but sweet
Please...
not gullible
Thinking Outside the Box
Impressive

Eyes of the Heart: Seeking a Path for the Poor in the Age of Globalization
Jean-Bertrand Aristide
Manufacturer: Common Courage Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1567511872

Book Description

In this startling and passionate book, Aristide demonstrates why those on the bottom will never lie down. A graphic revelation of what happens when "free" trade overruns local markets, eradicates local economies, and creates dependence on foreign charity.

Customer Reviews:

Short but sweet.......2002-12-09

This book is a short collection of articles or speeches by President Jean Bertrand Aristide. Reading it is a window into the world of a torn country: the poorest in the western hemisphere. But rather than being depressing, it leaves you with hope as you celebrate the triumphs of the Haitian people as they struggle for democracy and peace.

Please..........2002-11-18

Take a trip to Haiti. And you may still notice the mountains of garbage at every street corner, drug and crime lords on the loose, the prison system a mess, the economy...what economy? electricity...only when it's for the "Wold Cup", the absence of Police Officers...the condition of the roads! the airport! the beggers, the robbers and the fast and growing numbers of Haitians leaving either by plane or boat! now, instead of publishing a book and trying to convince those who's never lived in Haiti of the President's good heart, he should have taken that money and spent it on the country instead! Nothing has changed from when the Duvalieriste's were in power! Actually, the new President bares an eery resemblance to Papa Doc lately! oh! did I forget to mention the President's mansion in "Tabarre" and the perfect condition of the road in front of his house...we wouldn't want his Excellency to feel a bump now, would we?

not gullible.......2001-10-15

hmm. interesting point our President Jean-Bertrand Aristide has. but guess what,it's not enough. in essence,he represents the dream-like state that a lot of my people have:we dream of what we were,of what we could be,yet do nothing about it. he is an intellectual without action. i have lived too long in haiti to hear all of the 'ansanm,ansanm,nou se lavalas'speeches of our DEARLY BELOVED president while continually seeing the misery of my people. good book,"titid". but i don't expect to see anything realistic come of it. (:

Thinking Outside the Box.......2001-01-05

By all accounts, life for Haiti's desperately poor majority is difficult. By most accounts, that life is hopeless- newspaper reports see only squalor, development strategies see only economic enslavement as the lesser of evils, even supporters of Haiti cannot see the country escaping the rut of its history.

President Aristide, as he has always done, finds hope. He finds hope in his people's almost unfathomable strength in opposing repression over three centuries. He finds hope in economic activities discarded by the "builders". He finds hope, despite the horror inflicted on Haiti from the outside from slavery to the present, in us, the citizenry of the world's powerful countries.

This hope, and practical strategies based on it, has always been Aristide's gift to Haiti. That is why he, and candidates perceived to be loyal to him, have received overwhelming support in just about every electoral contest since 1990. That is why Aristide should receive the support of the international community, and anyone who cares about social and economic justice. That is why you should read this book.

Impressive.......2000-12-27

I never gave Aristide much credit, but after reading this book I'm beginning to think that there might be hope for Haiti after all. This is a compelling and well written book that goes at the core of Haiti's problem. In the era of globalization, a nation with a past such as Haiti should think twice before jumping the bandwagon of the free market economy and look for a third way. While the capitalist system generates wealth, it also broadens the economic and social gaps among class constellations. Yet, at the same time, we have Cuba as a model of social justice and equity, if judged by the criteria of universal acces to education and health care. I think that Haiti should aim at striking a balance between those opposing ideologies and Aristide made it clear in Eyes of the Heart that there is a third way. Rather he follows through with this idea during his second term as president it is yet to be seen. Overall it is an insightfull book.

The Globalization Gap: How the Rich Get Richer and the Poor Get Left Further Behind (Financial Times Prentice Hall Books)

Average customer rating:

Biased, biased, biased
A regrettably 'Lite' treatment of an important issue
An Incisive Examination of Globalization
A new perspective on Globalization and Poverty

The Globalization Gap: How the Rich Get Richer and the Poor Get Left Further Behind (Financial Times Prentice Hall Books)
Robert A. Isaak
Manufacturer: FT Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0131428969

Book Description

Globalization Has Triumphed, But Can We Save the Poor?

For most people except the world's very richest, globalization is failing—catastrophically. If we don't act, its failure will lead to a global upheaval worse than any in human history. But there's another, better path. Isaak shows how a new globalization can give the poor a powerful stake, both here and abroad. Isaak's ideas can lead toward a more stable, peaceful world, in which we can all build our futures—rich and poor alike.

Customer Reviews:

Biased, biased, biased.......2006-02-03

I had to read this book as part of a macroeconomics course.

I go to a technical school where entrepreneurship and global business are discussed in nearly all of my classes-from World Civilization and Its Source to Macroeconomics to Data Structures & Algorithms.

I've already read a few books on globalization and I have to say Isaak's work is the worst so far. His support is often non-descript and not used in appropriate locations. Indeed, it appears as if he only put in references for the pure purpose of putting in references.

There is one underlying solution that Isaak seems to imply would benefit the world community: the rich providing social aid to the poor. He ignores charities and foundations established to provide such. Instead, it seems he advocates something more similar to Marxism. Essentially, he's calling for a redistribution of wealth in an even fashion.

I cannot suggest this book to anyone wanting to learn about Globalization. Instead, purchase The Globalization Gap only if you want a laugh at what drivel will be published.

On the flip side, I enjoyed The Virtue of Prosperity. I haven't read Money Changes Everything yet, but I hear good things.

A regrettably 'Lite' treatment of an important issue.......2005-12-31

When I checked this out of my library, I was looking forward to an insightful read of a really critical topic for our time. What I found instead was a very fluffy book, long on statements, short on facts and real insights. Taking a good look at the references shows one of the problems - many of the references are from newspapers and magazines, not journals or analytical works. I can almost imagine the author sorting out a shoebox of clippings while outlining the chapters.

If you want something with some real substance to it, you'll have to look elsewhere. I don't think it's an accident that the author's picture doesn't appear on the book jacket.

An Incisive Examination of Globalization.......2004-09-26

Robert Isaak has written a well researched and an easy to understand critique of the phenomenon of globalization. He develops in a clear and persuasive style an argument that demonstrates the numerous serious faillings of this neoliberal idea .
I teach a course on Globalization and Trade to upper level college undergraduates and I intend to use this book in addition to "Globalization and its Discontents" as a corrective to the standard books that promote neoliberalism as the only tool to promote economic growth and reduce poverty. Robert Isaak looks at the evidence and concludes that nothing is further away from the truth than these unsubstantiated arguments.Actually, the quantitative studies done at the World Bank came to the same conclusion i.e. Globalization has not reduced poverty.
"The Globalization Gap" desreves to become an integral part of the must read list for anyone who is interested in this ubiquitous phenomenon of Globalization.

A new perspective on Globalization and Poverty.......2004-08-30

Isaak's book is definately worth a read. It is well written, relatively easy to understand and contains valuable insight to corporations as well as individuals.
really liked the way both sides of the court were considered and the world economy was taken as the given driving force behind the current problems and any probable solutions thereof
I recommend this book especially to those who are already interested in the topic/ good quick read!

A Corporate Solution to Global Poverty: How Multinationals Can Help the Poor and Invigorate Their Own Legitimacy

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A Corporate Solution to Global Poverty: How Multinationals Can Help the Poor and Invigorate Their Own Legitimacy
George Lodge , and Craig Wilson
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
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Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0691122296

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World leaders have given the reduction of global poverty top priority. And yet it persists. Indeed, in many countries whose governments lack either the desire or the ability to act, poverty has worsened. This book, a joint venture of a Harvard professor and an economist with the International Finance Corporation, argues that the solution lies in the creation of a new institution, the World Development Corporation (WDC), a partnership of multinational corporations (MNCs), international development agencies, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs).

In A Corporate Solution to Global Poverty, George Lodge and Craig Wilson assert that MNCs have the critical combination of capabilities required to build investment, grow economies, and create jobs in poor countries, and thus to reduce poverty. Furthermore, they can do so profitably and thus sustainably. But they lack legitimacy and risk can be high, and so a collective approach is better than one in which an individual company proceeds alone. Thus a UN-sponsored WDC, owned and managed by a dozen or so MNCs with NGO support, will make a marked difference.

At a time when big business has been demonized for destroying the environment, enjoying one-sided benefits from globalization, and deceiving investors, the book argues, MNCs have much to gain from becoming more effective in reducing global poverty. This is not a call for philanthropy. Lodge and Wilson believe that corporate support for the World Development Corporation will benefit not only the world's poor but also company shareholders as a result of improved MNC legitimacy and stronger markets and profitability.

Cities in a Globalizing World: Global Report on Human Settlements 2001

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Cities in a Globalizing World: Global Report on Human Settlements 2001

Manufacturer: Earthscan Publications Ltd.
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Financing Urban Shelter: Global Report on Human Settlements 2005

ASIN: 1853838063

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* The most authoritative and up to date assessment of the development of the world's cities and other human settlements
* A detailed assessment of the impacts and implications of globalization for cities
* Statistical Annexes provide essential information on demographic, spatial & economic, housing, and environment & infrastructural indicators

The Global Report 2001 is the successor to the Global Report 1996. It is the only reliable and comprehensive assessment of the world's cities and an essential tool and reference for academics, researchers, planners and public authorities and civil society organizations around the world.
The 2001 Report highlights the impacts of globalization in removing barriers and increasing the influence of market forces on policies and city development, the increased isolation and marginalization of many, especially poor and vulnerable social groups. It documents current housing and urban conditions, including access to health care and education, and examines policies and initiatives for improved quality of life across all sectors of urban society.

Globalization, Spirituality, and Justice: Navigating the Path to Peace (Theology in Global Perspective)

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This Book May Take Our Breath Away

Globalization, Spirituality, and Justice: Navigating the Path to Peace (Theology in Global Perspective)
Daniel G. Groody
Manufacturer: Orbis Books
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ASIN: 1570756961

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This Book May Take Our Breath Away.......2007-05-27

"This book may take our breath away." So states the cover blurb from Walter Brueggemann on "Globalization, Spirituality, and Justice: Navigating the Path to Peace," released on April 17, 2007 by Daniel G. Groody. The basic premise is, metaphorically, that the global family has booked passage and is now aboard the ship of globalization and there is no turning back to the shore. The question we must ask ourselves, as passengers on this ship, is, "who is at the helm and where are we going?" As Gustavo Gutierrez quips, "Being against globalization is like being against electricity." We can't stop the ship, and one would question the wisdom of wanting to, but the issues of who's driving and where will we end up are legitimate.

The book begins by offering an overview of the dual nature of globalization--its inherent propensity for good, such as the triumphs of technology, and for ill, such as the tragedy of poverty. Perhaps more importantly, chapter one details where we have sailed on this ship so far. This chapter seeks to give a realistic picture of the world today and paints that picture by using the most current statistics available. These statistics were gathered from sources such as the World Bank, the United Nations annual Human Development and World Development reports, and the World Institute for Development Economic Research. It is staggering to learn that 19 percent of the global population lives on less than $1 per day, 48 percent live on less than $2 per day, 75 percent live on less than $10 per day, and, according to the World Bank, two-thirds of the population of the planet lives in poverty. The weight of these income disparities is compounded when one looks at the unequal distribution of wealth and our disordered spending patterns. According to an article in the December 2006 issue of "The Economist," half of all wealth is held by only 2 percent of the world's adults. The world spends almost as much money on toys and games as the poorest 20 percent of the population earns in a year, and four times as much on alcohol as on international development aid. The troubling area of military spending is also addressed.

The world picture, from the perspective of poverty and need is indeed bleak, but Professor Groody does not leave us in the grip of its reality with no hope. He is convinced that, while fully aware of the abuses committed in the name of religion throughout history, the gift theology can bring to the process of globalization is a navigation system that has the potential to guide us to a place of solidarity and peace, where if globalization is left to itself or to those leaders who are only motivated by profit we may run aground on the icebergs of greed. As Groody notes, we are doing theological reflection all the time, but he argues that to find a place of human solidarity we must undergo a conversion from "money-theism" to monotheism. The remaining eight chapters of the book deal with how the various sub-disciplines of theology inform the process of globalization.

* Chapter two details the core narratives of the Bible--the Narrative of the Empire, the Narrative of the Poor, the Narrative of Yahweh, the Narrative of Idolatry, and the Narrative of the Gospel, integrating them all with the Narrative of the Passover.
* Chapter three challenges idolatry and excessive wealth through the words of the early church writers.
* Chapter four lays out an overview of Catholic social teaching with an acronym ("A God of Life") that provides a framework on which to hang the basic tenets. There are also several very useful charts that detail the documents of the universal and regional churches by categories of year, author, context, and key concept.
* Chapter five consists of a short section (five or six pages) on the basic social teachings of each of the major, non-Judeo-Christian, world religions--Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Bahai Faith, and African Indigenous religions. Here we see that social justice is not unique to Christianity.
* In chapter six the lives of five contemporary models of justice are briefly chronicled: Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., Dorothy Day, Mother Teresa, and Oscar Romero. Attention is paid especially to their foundational experiences, the major metaphor of their life, their operative theology, and their core contribution to justice.
* Chapter seven reflects on God through the perspective of the poor by looking at liberation theology and the preferential option for the poor. This chapter is an especially helpful read for anyone who wishes to understand what is meant by these two terms and the position of the Vatican on liberation theology. The global perspective is readily apparent again in this chapter as attention is paid to Black, Hispanic, Feminist, and Asian liberation theology.
* Chapter eight concerns the rite of the liturgy, and justice as living in right relationships with God, self, others, and the environment. This chapter also has several nice charts that are helpful in linking the sacraments to social teaching by way core issue.
* The final chapter on spirituality and transformation beautifully sums up the book by looking to the spiritual disciplines which can strengthen us for doing the work of justice in the world: fasting, prayer, community, solidarity, nature, simplicity, recollection, and Sabbath.

Each chapter begins with a relevant story, and ends with a set of questions that would be helpful for personal reflection, group discussion, or classroom use, and a detailed bibliography for further reading and study.

I recommend Globalization, Spirituality, and Justice for upper level undergrads and graduate students in theology, peace studies, political science, ethics and justice, and economics and business, as well as justice groups, and the general reader interested in this vital and timely topic. Groody has managed to research and write a compelling treatise on global injustice without conveying a bleak and hopeless message. At its core, this book seeks to respond to the deeper issues of the human heart that globalization has largely left unexplored--questions related to belonging and loneliness, good and evil, peace and division, healing and suffering, meaning and meaninglessness, hope and despair, love and apathy, justice and injustice, freedom and slavery, and ultimately life and death. He is not interested in overwhelming readers with guilt, but rather with guiding readers to examine our personal and corporate lives and motivations, all the while encouraging us to think beyond ourselves to the needs of our brothers and sisters in the global family. The book is clear and well documented, exquisitely written, and sings a wonderful melody of the gratuitousness of God that is both a gift to and a demand on our lives.

Globalization, Growth, and Poverty: Building an Inclusive World Economy (World Bank Policy Research Report)

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about as good a case for globalization as you can make
Comprehensive discussion of Globalization

Globalization, Growth, and Poverty: Building an Inclusive World Economy (World Bank Policy Research Report)

Manufacturer: World Bank Publications
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Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 082135048X

Book Description

Globalization is already a powerful force for poverty reduction as societies and economies around the world are becoming more integrated. Although this international integration presents considerable opportunities for developing countries, it also contains significant risks. Associated with international integration are concerns about increasing inequality, shifting power, and cultural uniformity.

Globalization, Growth, and Poverty focuses on globalization in terms of growing economic integration resulting from the increased flow of goods and services, people, capital, and information. The report is primarily concerned with the effect that this growing integration has on economic growth and poverty reduction. It assesses the impact of globalization and addresses the ensuing anxieties. By focusing on specific policy recommendations, this report proposes an agenda for action aimed at minimizing the risks that globalization potentially generates, while maximizing the opportunities for the poor.

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Societies and economies around the world are becoming more integrated. Integration is the result of reduced costs of transport, lower trade barriers, faster communication of ideas, rising capital flows, and intensifying pressures for mitigation. Integration--or " globalization " --has generated anxieties about rising ineuality, shifting power, and cultural uniformity. This report assesses its impact and examines these anxieties. Global integration is already a powerful force for poverty reduction, but it could be even more effective. Some, but not all of the anxieties are well-founded. Both global opportunities and global risks have outpaced global policy. The authors propose an agenda for action, both to enhance the potential of globalization to provide opportunities for poor people and to reduce and mitigate the risks it generates. This report presents three main findings that bear on current policy debates about globalization. First, poor countries with around 3 billion people have broken into the global market for manufactures and services; these " new globalizers " have experienced large-scale poverty reduction. The second finding concerns inclusion both across countries and within them; the authors highlight a range of measures that would help countries in danger of becoming marginalized become integrated with the world economy. A third issue concerns the anxiety that economic integration leads to cultural or institutional homogenization.

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about as good a case for globalization as you can make.......2005-02-17

I should say up-front that I disagree with the perspective of the writers--I am a firm opponent of neoliberalism (the current form of globalization. Please note, those of us in the global justice movement don't oppose globalization--we just want a different form of it.) I read this book hoping to find someone making a strong case for globalization, so I could understand the other side of the debate--both out of respect for my opponents and because it's always good to know thy enemy. Certainly, the arguments in here are much stronger than in Friedman's The Lexus and the Olive Tree, which is pretty fluffy. Collier and Dollar use statistics to support their position and lay out a much stronger intellectual framework than Friedman in making the case for neoliberalism. They probably make about as strong a case as you could hope.

The core of their argument is that as countries integrate into the global economy, average income goes up. They also point that as countries integrate into the global economy, they tend to move from agricultural exports to manufacturing. On the face of it, this sounds good. But other things in their own book undermine this rosey picture. On pg. 49, they mention--only in passing--that this increase in income occurs only on average among third world countries--and that low-income countries actually see their average income go down when they integrate into the global economy. Oops. And then there's the fact they note that much of the rise of income goes to the well-educated, professionals and managers. Certainly, that would raise the average income--but a rise in average income doesn't mean the benefits are evenly distributed and, as they themselves admit, it seems to be going disproportionately to the already affluent--not the factory workers. Oops.

Then there are things Collier and Dollar don't deal with in the book that are also highly inconvenient. For instance, the reason agricultural exports go down with global integration is that third world countries get flooded with cheap food imports from first world nations, where agriculture is subsidized. Farmers producing for local markets are put out of business as a result. Collier and David note that people are moving in large numbers from rural areas to urban areas to work in manufacturing, citing this as proof that people embrace globalization. The problem is that a lot of these people don't have any choice. And they're moving from farms to urban slums, where--if they are luck enough to find work--it's in a sweatshop. While I certainly have no desire to romanticize small farming in the third world, the quality of life is still a lot better than living in a slum and working in a sweatshop. Of course, when you move from a small, rural farm to the city and begin working in a factory, your income does go up, at least as it registers in the World Bank's statistics. That does not equal an improvement in quality of life.

Collier and Dollar wave around some impressive sounding numbers, but once you put them in context, they don't look so good. The heart of their argument has holes you could drive a Mac truck through. The rest doesn't really matter. It was a nice try, but they just couldn't pull it off. Sorry guys.

Comprehensive discussion of Globalization.......2002-02-17

The signal to noise ratio in the discussion of Globalization makes it hard to sort out what is really going on. Much of the discussion comes from anecdotal evidence or from a particular point of view. Of course, it is impossible to be completely objective about anything, but since the mission of the World Bank, the publishers of this study, is "a world free of poverty" it's point of view at least attempts to not view globalization from the perspective of any particular nation or group and to represent different views.

The result is a strongly documented case for the beneficial effects of our increasingly globalized world. This books is a good reference books with facts about the distribution of income, poverty rates throughout the world, changes in GDP over time and other things that are frequently misrepresented by anti-globalization folks.

The book covers many things that are in books like The Lexus and the Olive Tree, A Future Perfect and so on about how the legal and social structure affect investment and growth. This book references the original studies and is a good starting point for research.

It also points out that the forces towards globalization, better communication, transportation and financial markets can easily be stopped in their tracks by trade wars as happened in the 1930's so educating oneself about the benefits of an integrated world economy can help make sure we do not have a repeat of the Great Depression.

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Globalization and the Poor Periphery before 1950 (Ohlin Lectures)
Jeffrey G. Williamson
Manufacturer: The MIT Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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A Farewell to Alms: A Brief Economic History of the World (Princeton Economic History of the Western World)

Globalization in Historical Perspective (National Bureau of Economic Research Conference Report)

Global Migration and the World Economy: Two Centuries of Policy and Performance

Globalization and History: The Evolution of a Nineteenth-Century Atlantic Economy

The European Economy since 1945: Coordinated Capitalism and Beyond (Princeton Economic History of the Western World)

ASIN: 0262232502

Book Description

In Globalization and the Poor Periphery before 1950 Jeffrey Williamson examines globalization through the lens of both the economist and the historian, analyzing its economic impact on industrially lagging poor countries in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Williamson argues that industrialization in the core countries of northwest Europe and their overseas settlements, combined with a worldwide revolution in transportation, created an antiglobal backlash in the periphery, the poorer countries of eastern and southern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

During the "first global century," from about 1820 to 1913, and the antiglobal autarkic interwar period from 1914 to 1940, new methods of transportation integrated world commodity markets and caused a boom in trade between the core and the periphery. Rapid productivity growth, which lowered the price of manufactured goods, led to a soaring demand in the core countries for raw materials supplied by the periphery. When the boom turned into bust, after almost a century and a half, the gap in living standards between the core and the periphery was even wider than it had been at the beginning of the cycle. The periphery, argues Williamson, obeyed the laws of motion of the international economy. Synthesizing and summarizing fifteen years of Williamson's pioneering work on globalization, the book documents these laws of motion in the periphery, assesses their distribution and growth consequences, and examines the response of trade policy in these regions.

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