Bad Samaritans: The Guilty Secrets of Rich Nations And The Threat to Global Prosperity (Paperback)

It's rare that a book appears with a fresh perspective on world affairs, but Ha-Joon Chang has some startlingly original things to say about globalization. In theory, he argues, the world's wealthiest countries and major institutions, such as the IMF and World Bank, want to see all nations become modern, thriving societies. In practice, though, those at the top are 'kicking away the ladder' to wealth that they themselves climbed.

In the course of his exposé Chang reveals double standards at work everywhere: in policy-makers' understanding of history, in their attitudes to such key issues as free trade and foreign investment, and in their stubborn prejudices about national stereotypes and 'ideal' forms of government. He shows precisely why these double standards have become so deeply embedded, and how they have damaged - and continue to damage - the developing world. And he convincingly demonstrates how a fairer and more prosperous global economy could be created if only the Bad Samaritans would accept the evidence that is actually staring them in the face.