The winner of the 1998 Nobel Prize in Economic Science demonstrates how only through the expansion of democracy can economic, social, and political...
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Aug 19, 2010
E
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Here's the thing about Amartya Sen: everything he writes oozes humility and compassion, and his optimism is both refreshing and contagious. His arguments are consistently predicated upon a genuine respect for humanity and a desire to eliminate the poverty that plagues most of the world. For this reason, it's hard not to like him. But - of course there's a but - when it comes down to the actual content and evidence of some of his works there are some gaping holes that fundamentally undermine the
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Dec 16, 2009
Monica
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The first thing you realize from reading Amartya Sen is what a fundamentally nice human being he must be. I'm serious. Waves of decency and kindness just eminate from the page. And what's more, he seems to believe that for the most part, other people are just as nice as he is. It's such a relief to read someone who's brilliant but not cynical.
The other thing i really liked about this book was that it provides the ideal meeting place for my University of Chicago-steeped intellect and my bl More...
The other thing i really liked about this book was that it provides the ideal meeting place for my University of Chicago-steeped intellect and my bl More...
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Jun 03, 2010
Lucy
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Apr 03, 2011
Artanis
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This book shows why Amrtya Sen was given Noble Prize in economics. Its depth is astounding yet he somehow manages to keep it in easy to understand language and I never had any difficulty with any concept he presented as the accompanying explanations were gradual and very well done. Truly a one of its kind book without peer. A must read to form an real world understanding of how economics directly alters our lives and how we shalln't take personal freedoms as granted. I am, however saddened by so
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Jan 04, 2011
One of Cambridge Sustainability's Top 50 Books for Sustainability, as voted for by our alumni network of over 3,000 senior leaders from around the world. To find out more, click here.
The recurring theme of this book is encapsulated in its title: namely, that development is about expanding human freedoms. These include but are not limited to increased GDP per capita. Hence, social and economic arrangements (education and healthcare), political and civil rights, technological progress More...
The recurring theme of this book is encapsulated in its title: namely, that development is about expanding human freedoms. These include but are not limited to increased GDP per capita. Hence, social and economic arrangements (education and healthcare), political and civil rights, technological progress More...
Feb 14, 2010
Xarah
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I had to read this book for my graduate Anthropology of Development class. At first I was a little skeptical, and a little worried, on how approachable the book was going to read (especially since I had to read it in a week).
It took a few sections before I really got into the book and began to understand Sen's approach towards development, especially in regards to personal freedoms. Sen approaches development as integrative - that no one aspect (such as education or individual right More...
It took a few sections before I really got into the book and began to understand Sen's approach towards development, especially in regards to personal freedoms. Sen approaches development as integrative - that no one aspect (such as education or individual right More...
Jul 14, 2010
Justin
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Sen plots the course of contemporary philosophy and development economics to the intersection of human capabilities in a way that's as compelling intellectually at is frustrating to read. Page after page I kept wondering if there wasn't any less pedantic way to present what are essentially basic arguments in defense of freedom and our ability to take advantage of it as the yardstick of human development instead of GDP. The overriding theme that freedom is both the means and the end of developmen
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May 11, 2009
Maggie
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Development as Freedom was difficult to get into, but got more and more interesting as Sen progressed from outlining his theory of "development as freedom" to its various applications. His basic theory is that development should be considered in terms of the freedoms people possess AND are able to utilize. He argues that when we focus on increasing freedoms instead of other measures such as growth of per capita GDP, we can get a more complete picture of whether people are living lives
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Aug 07, 2011
Nick
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A crucial redefinition of the role of economics, and the signifiers and oft-misunderstood causalities involved in development, economic, social, and political. Poverty seen not as income-deprivation, but directly as capability-deprivation. Draws on wisdom from philosophy, East and West, contemporary economic theories, fallacies, and misunderstandings, and a well placed confidence in the universal relevance of rational individual agency. I would not trust a leader unfamiliar with the concepts
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Feb 20, 2011
Dan
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Update: I've recently picked this back up. It's an easier read than I remember, and the content is better than I remember. It's amazingly relevant: the chapter on markets includes an argument that fiscal conservatism should first promote programs with high returns-on-investment like... basic health and basic education for everyone.
I skipped a lot of the technical chapters in this book. There was a lot of "positioning oneself within the academic literature" that did More...
I skipped a lot of the technical chapters in this book. There was a lot of "positioning oneself within the academic literature" that did More...
Jun 25, 2011
Libby
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The sub-title should be "Poverty as Capability Deprivation." I find the most useful parts of his writing those that evaluate definitions of poverty and also goals of anti-poverty interventions.
surprisingly centrist at times. one of the essential freedoms he keeps returning to is the freedom to trade and participate in commerce.
His portrayal of Adam Smith makes me want to read his stuff closely. Sen seems to derive a good chuckle from quoting Smith's arguments against income More...
surprisingly centrist at times. one of the essential freedoms he keeps returning to is the freedom to trade and participate in commerce.
His portrayal of Adam Smith makes me want to read his stuff closely. Sen seems to derive a good chuckle from quoting Smith's arguments against income More...
Nov 25, 2008
Chandra
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A refreshing holistic approach to developmental strategies that goes beyond mere economic growth and stresses the importance of other factors that enable or inhibit the agency of freedom. It's clear that Sen is brilliant, and he simplifies (some) of his arguments for the lay reader, but it's still a bit dense, especially the first few chapters, which lay out his philosophical/social grounds for his arguments. But the later chapters explore specific issues, with specific examples, that helps put
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Jan 15, 2008
John
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Sen recommends using reason to promote a better and more acceptable society. To successfully use reason in this way requires a suitable evaluative framework in which to assess the merits of social and economic policies, institutions that are capable of promoting specified goals and commitments, and the emergence of new behavioral norms.
Malthusian analysis of fertility behavior predicts “an increase in the number of men surpassing the means of their subsistence.” The analysis rests More...
Malthusian analysis of fertility behavior predicts “an increase in the number of men surpassing the means of their subsistence.” The analysis rests More...
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Sep 21, 2007
Amartya Sen is the Nobel Prize Winner for economics in 1998. He is a great believer in the process and reach of public reasoning. He believes that “poverty as well as tyranny, poor economic opportunities as well as systematic social deprivation, neglect of public facilities as well as intolerance or over activity of repressive states” are the major sources of “unfreedom”.
Sen convincingly argues that ethics and economics should go together as opposed to some narrow minded formulation More...
Sen convincingly argues that ethics and economics should go together as opposed to some narrow minded formulation More...
Aug 05, 2009
Sam
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Sen starts by addressing "What is the relation between our collective economic wealth and our individual ability to live as we would like?"
then he quotes the eighteenth century poet William Cowper on freedom:
Freedom has a thousand charms to show, that slaves however contented, never know.
Freedom, Sen persuasively argues, is at once the ultimate goal of social and economic arrangements and the most efficient means of realizing general welfare. Social institutions More...
then he quotes the eighteenth century poet William Cowper on freedom:
Freedom has a thousand charms to show, that slaves however contented, never know.
Freedom, Sen persuasively argues, is at once the ultimate goal of social and economic arrangements and the most efficient means of realizing general welfare. Social institutions More...
Dec 16, 2009
Andy
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There's a nice 40 page essay in here about the importance of considerations other than GDP in developing countries. Unfortunately it is buried by 260 pages of poor writing in which Sen:
- repeats himself
- repeats himself
- distinguishes his arguments or perspectives into type A, type B, and type C, when in reality A, B, and C are not all that different, or their distinction does not seriously enhance understanding of the subject being discussed
- stretches his points t More...
- repeats himself
- repeats himself
- distinguishes his arguments or perspectives into type A, type B, and type C, when in reality A, B, and C are not all that different, or their distinction does not seriously enhance understanding of the subject being discussed
- stretches his points t More...
Dec 16, 2009
Meredith
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All of Sen's work is meaningful, but this might be his most important. Sen is a novel economist in that he acknowledges the limitations of classic economics in relating to globalization, human rights, and poverty. Many economists have trouble seeing the forrest for the trees, but Sen knows the classic figures reported to the U.N. tell a partial story and leave out the humanity of the people actually experiencing what it means to have a high maternal mortality rate. Sen's idea of success might no
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Dec 07, 2010
Cassandra
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While I have labeled this book as both sociology and econ, it is primary econ. I can't recall ever reading an econ book, so this is my first. It was a good book (4 stars!) but it seemed to jump around a lot. The author did relate everything he discussed back to his main theme, but there were points that seemed a little vague to me. I'm not an economist, so I have a feeling that some of my confusion stems from that. This book took me nearly a month to read, partly because I had so many other
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Jan 17, 2010
John
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This is an influential book in my graduate program and obviously beyond that. For me, it offers a phiolosophical framework for linking freedom and equality, two concepts that are often seen as conflicting with each other. Although the focus is on developing countries, Sen offers some trenchant thoughts on the US, noting that many from the U.S. aren't "free" under his definition.
Jan 04, 2009
Faris
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Mungkin yang sangat mengkhawatirkan dari fenomena kemiskinan bukan hanya persoalan hilangnya kemampuan secara ekonomi karena pendapatan yang terbatas, namun lebih parah lagi, menurut Sen, kemiskinan sangat berpotensi menghilangkan kapabilitas manusia untuk berkembang dan berfungsi. Artinya, kemiskinan merupakan problem kemanusiaan yang berdampak pada seluruh sisi kehidupan.
Jul 19, 2010
Tonile
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An absolute masterpiece in the field of development economics. Growing up in Bangladesh, Sen witnessed poverty and famines first hand and has dedicated his life's work to changing the profile of the poor and changing how society views the answers to the problem that is poverty. Should be essential reading for anyone interested in economics.
Dec 10, 2010
Amanda
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Amartya Sen wrote a powerful book about development economics that anyone can read and understand. The current economic climate may change the way people perceive his writing but it doesn't change the clear logic he states or the fact that the West has done little to promote true development abroad.
Sep 14, 2011
Timothy
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I really enjoyed this book. The concept of "freedom" and absence of "unfreedoms" really struck a chord with me. It's not a perfect measure fo development, but it's probably the best that is still somewhat measurable. I also really enjoyed all the economic and social history, even it it was a little dense sometimes.
Jan 12, 2012
Juan
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He leído resúmenes y síntesis de este libro, los cuales ilustran bien el pensamiento del autor y su enfoque enteramente. Lo pongo como leído por eso, aunque quisiera tener la oportunidad de conseguir este libro como tal en físico o electrónico!
Mar 28, 2009
Becky
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This book formed the basis of an Economics paper that I wrote for my last econ class at Xavier - I really liked it a lot. Its international view provided a different perspective on economics than I think I usually read.
Feb 07, 2009
Trudy
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Meh. Not my cup of tea but required for my philosophy class "The Individual and Society." I will say I have a fledgling understanding of his premise that the development of society frees them from the prison of poverty.
Oct 02, 2011
Ben
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I had tried to read this book while I was in grad school, but just could handle reading it then. A wonderful analysis of what the point of development should be, that development should focus on increasing freedom. Amazing.
Sep 30, 2011
Jamie
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Enhancing human freedom is the main objective of development; to allow people to shape their own destiny. Freedom can therefore be judged by the capabilities of individuals, which depend on the strong interlinkages of economic facilities, political freedoms, social opportunities, transparency guarantees and protective security. This emphasizes the importance of focusing on capabilities as opportunities rather than realized functions, facilitated by a comprehensive development framework. Effic
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Nov 24, 2009
Glynis
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A book that inspired a new understanding of the world and the way I look at the world today. A must read for anyone interested in global health and development
Feb 14, 2010
Greg
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Dr. Sen's best book, but it is a little bit heavy and deep into his economic theories, but should be required reading for anyone in international development.
