The Bottom Billion

Why the Poorest Countries are Failing and What Can Be Done About It

By: Paul Collier

Narrated by: Gideon Emery

Length: 7 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's summary

In the universally acclaimed and award-winning The Bottom Billion, Paul Collier reveals that 50 failed states - home to the poorest one billion people on earth - pose the central challenge of the developing world in the 21st century. The book shines much-needed light on this group of small nations, largely unnoticed by the industrialized West, that are dropping further and further behind the majority of the world's people, often falling into an absolute decline in living standards.

A struggle rages within each of these nations between reformers and corrupt leaders - and the corrupt are winning. Collier analyzes the causes of failure, pointing to a set of traps that ensnare these countries, including civil war, a dependence on the extraction and export of natural resources, and bad governance. Standard solutions do not work, he writes; aid is often ineffective, and globalization can actually make matters worse, driving development to more stable nations.

What the bottom billion need, Collier argues, is a bold new plan supported by the Group of Eight industrialized nations. If failed states are ever to be helped, the G8 will have to adopt preferential trade policies, new laws against corruption, new international charters, and even conduct carefully calibrated military interventions. Collier has spent a lifetime working to end global poverty. In The Bottom Billion, he offers real hope for solving one of the great humanitarian crises facing the world today.

©2008 Paul Collier (P)2009 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Set to become a classic. Crammed with statistical nuggets and common sense, his book should be compulsory reading." ( The Economist)
"If Sachs seems too saintly and Easterly too cynical, then Collier is the authentic old Africa hand: he knows the terrain and has a keen ear.... If you've ever found yourself on one side or the other of those arguments -and who hasn't? - then you simply must read this book." (Niall Ferguson, The New York Times Book Review)

Very good use of empirical evidence

What made the experience of listening to The Bottom Billion the most enjoyable?

It was an interesting rationale on why poverty is cyclical.

Would you recommend The Bottom Billion to your friends? Why or why not?

Yes it is a strong body of research that lends an idea to why countries have a difficult time developing their economies.

What about Gideon Emery’s performance did you like?

It was fair, he seemed to enjoy telling the story.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I enjoyed the portion that offered solutions to the challenges faced by impoverished nations

Brilliant analysis of the problem, but solutions?

Collier has done an excellent job of assessing the problem: he identifies four "traps" that drop societies into poverty and expertly shows how those have played a role in leaving the world's poorest where they are at the bottom. He goes on to analyze the challenges of trade vs. aid (his answer is we need both), and how each can cause problems or help build toward solutions. However, in his final few chapters where he is putting forward his "solutions" they are so pie-in-the-sky, so far beyond the effective sphere of influence of all but a few readers who may have their hands on the levers of power, that the book is ultimately somewhat disappointing. It did not leave me empowered. It left me aware, but hopeless.

Impressive yet conservatively based

Would you listen to The Bottom Billion again? Why?

This book has so many amazing statistics to teach about the reality of the current economic model, drawing from the past and projecting into the future. Personally, I feel that a more creative interpretation would be beneficial to "unsticking" the bottom billion by cross-pollinating economics and politics with humanities and philosophy. For example, why not suggest restructuring the military of developed countries to primarily aid the bottom billion by supporting their infrastructure during ecological crisis as well as socio-economic. This restructuring of the current system (first from the top and then to bottom) supports it's growth by making space and eliminating what is outdated and no longer useful.

A gift to the development community.

I am deeply grateful for the efforts of pioneering thinkers like Paul Collier. This book offers the reader a chance to stand on the shoulders of those who have paid a great price to obtain a parade of actionable intelligence.

One of Best Modern Writers in Economics

If you are interested in learning about low-income countries struggles and options for economic development, I highly suggest this book. Professor Collier writing style is easy to understand and very persuasive.

Is poverty a disease or a wound?

I really enjoyed this, primarily UN centric, treatment of the hidden realities of that group of people who rarely make the news. If you're an international traveler, these are the people that you see walking in the broiling sun, or begging on the side of the road.

Yet, the book is hopeful in offering new solutions, some that may interest business people such as low end insurance products.

Overall this book was compelling, and interesting from start to finish.

Gare Henderson

why have all leaders not red this yet?

exceptional view of how to help the poorest countries of the world get out of there failing state. International aid is also a business that is booming, with so many involvements, I don't see how it is solvable without global force union to fight it. I would add to the argumentation of the book the implications of the whole banking system is so obvious, as it is so easy to track money, just as they are doing for terrorism today.
excellent book providing a great view of the "help the poor business"

no easy fix

Collier lays out a comprehensive survey of what has caused this situation and the challenges of bringing solutions to it. Many of his research based observations are initially counter intuitive, until you get to hear about the bizarre incentives to good as well as bad behavior. Solid narration.

Blueprint to close the gap

I read The Bottom Billion over a year ago but saw it cheap on Audible since I own the kindle version and decided to give it another listen. Talks about the gap between the developed economies versus those with citizens from the bottom billion of the poorest people on the planet and why the gap is expanding instead of narrowing. The traps include resource trap, land locked trap, conflict trap (military coup prone), unstable neighbors trap, etc. They also are impacted by adverse migration patterns that often lead to a brain drain of the talent that could help pull the country out of the economic morass leaving for green pastures in developed countries. The traps form a perfect storm for much of Africa and explains much of the economic struggles there. Collier discusses options to help close the gap starting with the common response that has limited impact of direct aid through more impactful tactics that could truly help.

A must read for global citizens

A fascinating book, though not always easy to follow, that explains the financial side of national poverty. Important for every person who has ever considered donating to poor countries