The Theory and Practice of Microcredit

'Microcredit turns out to be a much more interesting (and controversial) proposition than first imagined. Mahmud and Osmani have had front row seats to the unfolding history of microcredit in Bangladesh - and they have played key roles in that history. Their inside perspective yields a clear-eyed view of the way that microcredit has played out in practice and where it is going. Their analysis, in turn, provokes us to revisit fundamental ideas about microcredit - and about finance in general.' - Jonathan Morduch, co-author of The Economics of Microfinance and Professor at the New York University Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, USA. 'The field of microcredit has been characterized by extremely polarized views which frequently end up shedding more heat than light. So we are fortunate to have a serious and balanced analysis by two leading development economists from Bangladesh where microcredit has a long history. By offering a close reading of the evolving history of microfinance institutions in the country, by shifting the analytical focus from a narrow concern with enterprise to a broader focus on livelihoods and by factoring in an assessment of spill-over effects on the local economy, the authors offer a persuasive account of the strengths and limitations of microcredit.' - Naila Kabeer, co-author of Money with a Mission: Microfinance and Poverty Reduction and Professor of Gender and Development at the London School of Economics, UK.