Source: KBOO–Locus Focus
April 28, 2014
How the World Bank is behind the rampant theft of land and resources from the world’s poorest people
Listen to the interview
Guess who’s responsible for precious land being swiped away from poor farmers in the developing world? It’s not corrupt dictators, nor is it Mother Nature — it’s the World Bank. On this episode of Locus Focus, we’ll talk with Anuradha Mittal, executive director of the Oakland Institute, whose new report , Willful Blindness — How the World Bank’s Doing Business (DB) Rankings Impoverish Smallholder Farmers, shows how the powerful entity is behind the rampant theft of land and resources from some of the world’s poorest people.
We’ll hear about how the Bank’s “Doing Business” rankings, which score countries according to how Washington officials perceive the “ease of doing business” there, have caused many developing-country leaders to deregulate their economies in hopes of attracting foreign investment. But what the World Bank considers beneficial for foreign business is very often the exact opposite for existing farmers and herders.
About the Oakland Institute
The Oakland Institute is an independent policy think tank whose mission is to increase public participation and promote fair debate on critical social, economic and environmental issues (www.oaklandinstitute.org).
Listen to the interview
View Full Article at KBOO–Locus Focus
The World Banks’ Willful Blindness
Source: KBOO–Locus Focus
April 28, 2014
Listen to the interview
Guess who’s responsible for precious land being swiped away from poor farmers in the developing world? It’s not corrupt dictators, nor is it Mother Nature — it’s the World Bank. On this episode of Locus Focus, we’ll talk with Anuradha Mittal, executive director of the Oakland Institute, whose new report , Willful Blindness — How the World Bank’s Doing Business (DB) Rankings Impoverish Smallholder Farmers, shows how the powerful entity is behind the rampant theft of land and resources from some of the world’s poorest people.
We’ll hear about how the Bank’s “Doing Business” rankings, which score countries according to how Washington officials perceive the “ease of doing business” there, have caused many developing-country leaders to deregulate their economies in hopes of attracting foreign investment. But what the World Bank considers beneficial for foreign business is very often the exact opposite for existing farmers and herders.
About the Oakland Institute
The Oakland Institute is an independent policy think tank whose mission is to increase public participation and promote fair debate on critical social, economic and environmental issues (www.oaklandinstitute.org).
Listen to the interview
View Full Article at KBOO–Locus Focus