The Tyranny of Experts

Economists, Dictators, and the Forgotten Rights of the Poor

William Easterly

Recommended By

Book Synopsis

"The Tyranny of Experts" by William Easterly offers a critical analysis of how the development industry has perpetuated a cycle of failed interventions and continued poverty. Easterly argues that the rigid, top-down approach to development, led by "experts" with a one-size-fits-all mentality, has undermined the value of individual freedom, led to unintended consequences, and ignored the voices and needs of local communities.

Drawing on examples from around the world, Easterly exposes the flaws inherent in the expert-driven development model. He highlights the negative impacts of technocratic solutions that disregard local knowledge and impose uniform policies. Easterly demonstrates how this approach has led to ineffective aid programs, corruption, and the unintended exacerbation of existing problems.

Challenging the autocratic nature of development initiatives, Easterly advocates for a shift towards empowering individuals and communities to take charge of their own destinies. He emphasizes the importance of accountability, participatory decision-making, and allowing local solutions to emerge organically. By treating individuals as agents of change, Easterly argues, genuine development can occur.

"The Tyranny of Experts" offers a thought-provoking critique of traditional development practices, exposing the hidden costs and long-term repercussions of top-down approaches. Easterly presents a compelling argument for embracing the principles of liberty, individual empowerment, and decentralized decision-making to create sustainable and inclusive development outcomes.

Explore More Books

See All
Think Like a Monk
Leading Without Authority
The 10,000 Year Explosion
An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth
How To Get Rich
The Uninhabitable Earth
The Evolution of Cooperation
The Bitcoin Standard
Managing Oneself
Blackout
As I Lay Dying
The Godfather
Future Babble
This Brave New World
The Black Swan
I'd Like To Play Alone, Please
The Neverending Story
The Cancer Code
Origin Story
Sell with a Story
Beat the Wealth Management Hustle
Race Against The Machine
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Lincoln
Idoru
The God Delusion
Build
Elon Musk
Financial Derivatives
Hidden Potential
Clearing The Air
The Martian
The Making of the Atomic Bomb
The Devil in the White City
Leonardo Da Vinci
Thank You For Smoking
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Zoning Rules!
A Most Beautiful Thing
Raising Girls
Dear Chairman: Boardroom Battles and the Rise of Shareholder Activism
The Discovery of France
Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter
The Man Who Fed The World
Founding Sales
The Machine Stops
My American Journey
Nature Via Nurture
The Seventh Sense
In Pursuit of the Common Good
The Power of Positive Thinking
Nexus
Storm of Steel
The Innovators
Joy on Demand
I Am Not a Tractor
Your Keys Our Home
Grass Productivity
The Celestine Prophecy
In Praise of Shadows
Revolution in The Valley
The Printing Revolution in Early Modern Europe
The Idea Factory
Triumphs of Experience
Expectations Investing
Energy
American Kingpin
Dune
The Great Transformation
Self Reliance
Hate Inc.
The AI Revolution in Medicine
On Wings of Eagles
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
To Kill a Mockingbird
Immortality
The Revolt of the Public
Barbarian Days
The Survivor
Conspiracy
More Human
The Holy Bible
Scientific Advertising
The River War
Where Do School Funds Go?
Ending the War on Drugs
Class Warfare
The Man Who Invented Fidel
The Story of Civilization: The Renaissance
Darwin's Blind Spot
The Creative Society
Winning The Loser's Game
The Storytelling Animal
A Sense of Where You Are
A Year with Rumi
AI Superpowers
The Chile Project
Seeing Like a State
Nourishing Traditions
Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls