Let us also free the development experts!
Sir William Easterly, himself a development expert, after reading the report of the World Bank Growth Commission, tells us to trust the people, instead of development experts, “Trust the development experts – all 7bn of them” May 29.
Easterly bases his conclusions on Friedrich Hayek’s teachings on the need of freedom for “multitudinous individuals to figure out their own answers” arguing that experts cannot impose this freedom from the top down. He is right but having, as a former Executive Director of the World Bank 2002-2004, witnessed myself how the risk aversion of those who manage the business of development; the vested interest of those who hire the development experts, the governments; and the experts own often non functional peer reviews all conspire against creativity and promotes useless development jargon, we should not forget that the experts are also in need of much more freedom.
Easterly bases his conclusions on Friedrich Hayek’s teachings on the need of freedom for “multitudinous individuals to figure out their own answers” arguing that experts cannot impose this freedom from the top down. He is right but having, as a former Executive Director of the World Bank 2002-2004, witnessed myself how the risk aversion of those who manage the business of development; the vested interest of those who hire the development experts, the governments; and the experts own often non functional peer reviews all conspire against creativity and promotes useless development jargon, we should not forget that the experts are also in need of much more freedom.
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