Dying for Growth: Global Inequality and the Health of the Poor

by Jim Yong Kim

Book Overview

Is economic growth killing the poor? The Institute for Health and Social Justice brings us the answers in Dying for Growth. An extraordinary collection of fourteen hard-hitting case studies from Haiti... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1567511600
• ISBN13: 9781567511604
• Release Date: July 2002
• Publisher: Common Courage Press
• Length: 400 Pages
• Weight: 1.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.6" x 6.3" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Neoliberal polices and the poor - ugly human nature at work.

If the poor were to benefit from neoliberal policies, Dying for Growth argues, Mexico should provide an exemplary case. With constant encouragement from the United States, Mexico has aggressively implemented neoliberal policies for more than 20 years. The maquiladora sector of the economy, industrial plants owned by transnational corporations (TNCs) manufacturing products to export primarily to the United States, has grown quickly since the implementation of NAFTA, but this has been at the expense of other sectors of the economy. Competition with TNCs has undermined 30 000 small businesses and millions of subsistence farmers. Millions of permanently displaced peasants have made their way to urban shantytowns or tried to immigrate to the United States.Read what does it mean to privatize health care system and industry in many countries around the world.Learn how rich get richer and poor get poorer virtually everywhere, including USA and other developed nations.How realy "free" is trade, market and for whom ?Who controls "New World Order" - politicians elected by citizens or corporations ?If you are not sure what is the answer - get this very interesting and disturbing research/analysis coming from Institute for Health and Social Justice.

What's the connection between poverty and health?

This book provides a very thorough examination of how unequal patterns of growth and social inequality on a global scale have resulted in dire consequences for those many unfortunate who cannot afford health care. Many individuals, especially those residing in the United States, are already aware of the growing costs of health care. But imagine what it is like to live in a developing country where medical care is rudimentary at best and you're at the mercy of industrial pollution from the nearby TNC factory?Using health as an indicator of social inequality, the authors examine the connections between poverty and illness. Aggregate statistics depicting the health status on a global scale are improving is debunked. Rather, there is an uneven distribution of health improvements: the wealthy have access to comprehensive medical care while the poor are dying from preventable diseases. Access to resources is restricted, even in the midst of technological advancements in medicine. The goal of this book is to examine how international organizations such as the World Bank, IMF, and WTO along with TNCs influence political and economic structures of nations which in turn affect the accessibility , cost, and quality of health care provided (if any). The central question raised concerns what pattern of growth will benefit those in need the most? How can we redistribute global resources from the powerful few to the many of the world's poor?There is no doubt that the subject matter of this book is very extensive and the book itself is pretty thick, but reading this book will enable one to gain a better understanding of how recent trends in globalization have had devasting effects on the world's population. The authors provide good case studies that illustrate their main arguments. This book continues to serve as a vital reference source for my studies.

Not so!

The previous reviewer, unfortunately, fails to understand much economics and likely rated this book for his own Republican purposes. As a Yale economist, I place my full support on the economics in this book. Unfortunately, the previous reviewer misses the point altogether, which has little to do with economics--it is a point about humanism. Not only are these authors qualified to draw the conclusions they do--their heavily documented and outstanding conclusions present a fresh analysis for those who have heard about global equity problems but need the details fleshed-out in an interesting and accurate manner. It is clear that this text is grounded in strong scholarly research while maintaining its voice to the common reader. Definitely a read for anyone interested in equity issues, global problems, and health care.

the most important book I've read

This book is amazing. I'm a college student and would love for professors to include this book and books like it in their curriculums. Also, after the world bank/IMF protests in Seattle and D.C., this book provides some very thoughtful background which should inspire everyone to work against the rampant corporatization of our lives.

Dying in Prosperity

In a time of unprecedented prosperity, Dying for Growth provides a rude yet crucial wake up call about how the other half lives. Through balanced analysis and powerful narrative, the book's authors make a compelling case for understanding how current forms of globalization benefit some while simultaneously make others much more vulnerable. The case studies in the book provide rigorous and vivid evidence of how the neo-liberal approach to solving the international health crisis is failing to meet the rights of poor, and why thousands die needlessly each day, despite lofty commitments to the contrary. Importantly, the book does not simply rage against current trends or advocate for an uncritical return to a romanticized past or puritan future. Instead it makes the case for immediate practical action on measures that will bring significant relief -- such as debt cancellation for the world's poorest countries -- while advocating the need for taking a critical approach to prevailing wisdoms. Its greatest strength lies in its dogged focus on the fundamentals for the poor -- by asking how does growth help improve the lives of real people, how can globalization create real opportunity for people on the margins and what sorts of economic policies need to be in place to achieve health for all.There are many important books on international development and global health. But every now and then one comes around that frames all the key issues in a powerful and accessible manner and has the capacity to inspire practical action. Dying for Growth is one of those, and couldn't have been more timely.