Power of Greed: Collective Action in International Development

The Power of Greed recommends a shift away from the moralistic way we often go about doing international development. It says we can be too focused on our own ambitions for others and too unaware of what they’re up to on their own behalf. It argues that the desperate and greedy behaviours of the poor and their oppressors are not the enemies of international development, but its potential allies. It also says we ought to resist taking sides in defence of the poor. Productive alliances between oppressed and oppressor are possible if the conditions are right. Furthermore, it says that we need to tie national institutional and economic strengthening measures to the creation of sustainable interest groups at the grassroots. Only they could be in a position to prevent greed and corruption at the top in a sustainable way. For these reasons, The Power of Greed tries to get us to focus on doing more about the opportunity structure in the developing world and, for the rest, to rely on the opportunism of the population.

Michael Rosberg was born to a merchant family within earshot of Niagara Falls, Canada and took a BA at Cornell University, Teaching Certificates at the University of Toronto College of Education, an MSW at the State University of New York at Buffalo, and a Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He served as a CUSO volunteer in Colombia, South America and has worked as an International Development Project Officer, Programme Director, Consultant and University Lecturer.