Once Told Book Series

Common Wealth: Economics for a Crowded Planet
by Jeffery Sachs

Jeffery Sachs’ Common Wealth: Economics for a Crowded Planet is a visionary manifesto that takes a global perspective (in every sense of the term) in tackling the vast issues of climate change, poverty, disease, as well as civil and interstate conflict.

This work is an expansion of Sachs’ prior book, The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for Our Time. It is a critique of the shortsightedness of today’s politicians. Sachs does not address the issues simply on normative terms; he clearly demonstrates that it is in our own interest address the issues of global climate change and poverty. He likens the UN Millennium Development Goals to the Marshall Plan; viewing foreign aid as a benevolent act with great strategic benefits and importance.

Sachs attributes the crisis in Darfur to lack of drinking water, infrastructure, and communications. In doing so, he seems to go too far in asserting that the crisis in Sudan can be solved by addressing these issues. Sachs dismisses political and military solutions to Sudan as a waste of time; a solution that misses the point. While Sachs clearly addresses the preventative measures that could have been adopted prior to the Sudan crisis unravelling, improving infrastructure and access to drinking water will not stop a brutal regime that has shown the utmost disrespect for NGOs. The international community should work to improve said conditions in Sudan and all analogous countries in order to prevent future conflict, but once crisis has shown its ugly face, developmental aid can only go so far.

On climate change, Sachs address every issue from the depletion of the ozone and fisheries to desertification, rising sea levels and access to clean drinking water. Sachs demonstrates his mastery of the subject and clearly address the problem, the roadblocks to confronting the problem, and the best course of action, accounting for cost, organization, and implementation. As someone who is more concerned with politics and international affairs, I found myself skimming over some of the nitty-gritty statistics regarding climate change, but it simply goes to demonstrate Sachs' meticulous work and attention for the details.

Rating: Jeffery Sachs' Common Wealth receives 4 stars out of 5, for its visionary outlook and global perspective.

About the Author: Jeffrey D. Sachs is director of The Earth Institute at Columbia University and special adviser to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the Millennium Development Goals. He is internationally renowned for his work as n economic adviser to governments and international organizations around the world.