Why Doesn't Microfinance Work?: The Destructive Rise of Local Neoliberalism - Softcover

Bateman, Milford

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1848133324 ISBN 13: 9781848133327

Publisher: Zed Books, 2010

Synopsis

Since its emergence in the 1970s, microfinance has risen to become one of the most high-profile policies to address poverty and under-development in developing and transition countries. It is beloved of rock stars, royalty, movie stars, high-profile politicians and "trouble-shooting" economists. Its most famous pioneer, Muhammad Yunus, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006.

In this provocative and controversial analysis, Milford Bateman reveals that microfinance doesn't actually work. That, in fact, the case for it has largely been built on a desire to advance a particular free market ideology, on hype and egregious half-truths, and -- latterly -- on the Wall Street-style greed, deception and individual self-interest of those promoting and working in microfinance. Using a multitude of case studies from across the globe -- from India to Cambodia, Bolivia to Uganda, Serbia to Mexico amongst many others -- he exposes why many of its most fundamental building blocks are largely myths. In doing so, he demonstrates that microfinance actually constitutes a major barrier to sustainable economic and social development, and thus also to sustainable poverty reduction.

As developing and transition countries attempt to repair the devastation wrought by the global financial crisis, Bateman argues forcefully that the role of microfinance in development policy needs to be urgently and fundamentally reconsidered.

About this title

About the Author

Milford Bateman is a freelance consultant specializing in local economic development policy, particularly in relation to the Western Balkans. He has worked as a consultant for most of the major international development agencies and for several of the major international NGOs. He is also currently a Visiting Professor of Economics at the University of Juraj Dobrila at Pula, Croatia.

Review

"Microfinance has been so successfully hyped to the general public that people with no experience in development will ask me (upon finding out about my background in development): "Oh, you must really be excited about microfinance?!" Instead of going into a "long story," I can now refer them to Milford Bateman's comprehensive survey and expos é of the microfinance business. When so much of the finite aid resources are diverted into such feel-good programs with little, if any, developmental impact, then the whole fad becomes something of an anti-development trap. For some time, there has been fragmented evidence that microcredit is way over-hyped as an instrument of development, but Bateman pulls it all together and connects the microfinance fad with the underlying neoliberal themes of so much official development assistance. It's a timely, much-needed, and must-read book for anyone interested in the problems of development assistance." -- David Ellerman, author of "Helping People Help Themselves: From the World Bank to an Alternative Philosophy of Development Assistance."

"Microfinance has suffered too long from unthinking enthusiasm, but some negative views are beginning to make themselves heard. Bateman is the first, however, to examine microfinance critically and coherently as a whole, and to take a sceptical long term view of its social and economic effects. Few readers will agree with everything he writes, but anyone who has any connection with microfinance should read this book. It should make us all think more clearly about what we are doing." -- Malcolm Harper, Cranfield School of Management

"DO NOT READ THIS BOOK -- if you wish to retain the myths attached to microfinance rather than enjoy and appreciate the best available scholarly, reasoned and readable critique." - Ben Fine, SOAS

Edition details

• Publisher: Zed Books
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 1848133324
• ISBN 13: 9781848133327
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 272