Book description
More than four billion people-some 60 percent of humanity-live in debilitating poverty, on less than $5 per day. The standard narrative tells us this crisis is a natural phenomenon, having to do with things like climate and geography and culture. It tells us that all we have to do is…
Why read it?
2 authors picked The Divide as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
If you're looking for a book that will fundamentally change your understanding of the modern world, this is it. I loved The Divide because it provides the "why" behind the staggering inequality we see in the world today. It replaces vague notions of misfortune with a concrete, historically-grounded analysis of power. It’s a challenging, necessary, and ultimately empowering book that will leave you with a deeper understanding of how our world truly works.
The divide here is not within a country but across countries, in particular between rich and poor countries, which are often referred to as ‘The Global South’.
Hickel argues that the activities by those in rich countries designed to ‘help’ poorer countries have exactly the opposite of their claimed effect. Rather than being the mechanism by which poverty is alleviated the policies they advocate for these poor countries are really the causes of their continuing poverty.
He writes: "Today British apologists defend colonialism in India and interventions in China on the basis that it brought ‘development’ to these regions. But…
From Francis' list on inequality and the disagreements over the cause.
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These Blue Mountains
A moving story of love, betrayal, and the enduring power of hope in the face of darkness.
German pianist Hedda Schlagel's world collapsed when her fiancé, Fritz, vanished after being sent to an enemy alien camp in the United States during the Great War. Fifteen years later, in 1932, Hedda…
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