In Common Wealth, Jeffrey D. Sachs--one of the world's most respected economists and the author of The New York Times bestseller The End of Poverty-- offers an urgent assessment of the environmental degradation, rapid population growth, and extreme poverty that threaten global peace and prosperity. Through crystalline examination of hard facts, Sachs predicts the cascade of crises that awaits this crowded planet--and presents a program of sustainable development and international cooperation that will correct this dangerous course. Few luminaries anywhere on the planet are as schooled in this daunting subject as Sachs, and this is the vital product of his experience and wisdom.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
400 pages from the Ministry of Truth:
Don't bother reading this book. It merely repeats conventional wisdom (or government press releases) and dresses it up as "bold" social science writing. I guess that's what you do if you are an Ivy League professor. You invest thousands of words in a hackneyed, repetitious offering that no one in any position of authority would ever object to. What is the world lacking, according to Sachs? "Leadership." All we need is the courage and collective will to embark on huge government programs to fix the... more info
Common Biased Wealth:
This book address several interesting issues and suggests very specific solutions to these problems. The problem is the consistent bias in each recommendation with no regard for the possibility of a multiple of thoughtful solutions. It would be more balanced if it at least acknowledged alternate solutions and despite the potential validity of the alternative provides rational grounds why the author has chosen the particular solution.
"Common Wealth: Economics for a Crowded Planet", Jeffrey Sachs:
Jeffrey Sachs offers the reader a clear picture and sound proposals for the global challenges that lie ahead of us. I have followed many lectures for climate stability, sustainable development, the bottom billion, the demographic transition etc. These are matters that will challenge our well being in the 21st century. Yet reading this book made me understand better the nature and the implications of these challenges. I strongly recommend this book for anybody who values globalization!
Good info, but rather tedious reading:
I skimmed a lot of this book - it felt too much like I was reading a (required) college textbook that, while informative, wasn't particularly engaging. Overall, the book provides a decent overview of the steps the author feels we must take to move the planet forward (or keep from descending into all manner of intractable problems). No opportunity to blast the George W Bush administration is spared - so if you're a right wing conservative, you may want to pass on this one.
