Dr. Steven Radelet and Moe talk about how we can fight the changing tides of climate change, resource demand, economic and political mismanagement, and demographic pressures to accelerate the political, economic, and social development that has been helping the poorest of the poor around the world.
The Great Surge
By all accounts, the world is infinitely better today than it was just a few years ago. Technology continues to shatter borders; communities continue to unify and force the hand of inept dictators; global poverty is at an all-time low; and perhaps most important of all is the surge in health care solutions that are saving lives and advancing humanity. On October 22nd, Bill Gates marked World Polio Day by sharing a glimpse of the astonishing progress the world has seen in eradicating this crippling disease:
“Since 1988, the number of annual cases has dropped more than 99.9%. There used to be an estimated 350,000 children paralyzed by polio every year; so far this year, there have been just 48 cases. only two countries, Pakistan and Afghanistan, have never been free of disease. And yet I’m often surprised to hear how many people don’t know about this mind-blowing progress.”
Obviously, Gates has a different vantage point than most of us, still no one can deny the exponential societal advancement that we witness each day. Georgetown University professor, Steven Radelet has been on the forefront of this transformation for nearly thirty years, and as he shares in his latest book, The Great Surge: The Ascent of the Developing World, “we are in the early stages of a new age of global prosperity in which, with many setbacks and challenges along the way, extreme poverty will continue to decline, incomes in developing countries will grow, health and education will improve, and democracy and basic freedoms will expand-haltingly, unevenly, but unrelentingly.”
I had a fascinating conversation with professor Radelet because I have a deep interest in contributing to this movement; and as you’ll notice, it doesn’t take a lot of effort to have a big impact.
Here’s what we discuss:
The fuel that ignites his sense of optimism
The catalysts behind the world’s progress
How and why China is a vital component to the developing world
What great quality education looks like
Educating girls – why it’s essential to wellbeing
The leadership imperative – public and private
Getting to good