Paul Collier is Professor of Economics and Public Policy at Oxford University's Blavatnik School of Government. He is the author of The Future of Capitalism (Handesblatt Prize) and The Bottom Billion (Arthur Ross Prize) both widely translated. He works with governments and communities around the world. A communitarian, he was awarded the Adam Smith Prize by Glasgow's Philosophical Society (2023) and the Global Citizenship Award by Belgium's cooperative movement (2018).
Paul Collier shows how centralized authority and economic orthodoxy have hollowed out communities and deepened the divide between prosperous and neglected places. Ranging across politics, economics, and moral philosophy, he offers a compelling vision for renewal. This tour de force book points the way to a political economy of shared prosperity and common purpose’ -- Michael J. Sandel, author of THE TYRANNY OF MERIT Being left behind is a curse on people, places, and even whole countries. Paul Collier brings his astonishing range of global experiences and interdisciplinary knowledge to forge a guidebook for catching up. He challenges the belief that the market is a trustworthy remedy and catalogues the many collective strategies that have worked in the past and can work again. Great wisdom lies herein -- Angus Deaton, Nobel Laureate for Economic Sciences Paul Collier has written another brilliant, must-read book for anyone interested in human progress. I greatly enjoyed this book, you will too -- Baroness Dambisa Moyo, author of DEAD AID Brilliant, orthodoxy-upending … this book is a compelling and practical manifesto for a better future. It is not only required reading but demands action -- Andy Haldane, CEO of the RSA A MUST READ reminding all of us to hold onto hope, chronicling stories of communities that are progressing against the odds -- Sylvana Quader Sinha, Member of the Council on Foreign Relations A wide-ranging account of why societies have gone so badly wrong in the early 21st century by emphasizing individualism, and an ambitious – but essential – agenda for tackling some of the problems -- Professor Diane Coyle, author of GDP: A BRIEF BUT AFFECTIONATE HISTORY