This video records a debate between William Easterly and Owen Barder on the central thesis of Easterly's book, The Tyranny of Experts. The debate centers on whether development experts, through their technocratic approach and disregard for political systems, have ultimately harmed rather than helped the poor. A live audience votes before and after the debate to gauge their opinions on the resolution.
Technocratic Approach Critiqued: Easterly argues that the technocratic approach to development, prioritizing technical solutions over political systems, ignores the importance of individual rights and political freedoms for the poor. He contends this approach has historically been used to justify colonialism and autocratic rule.
Defense of Technocratic Development: Barder defends the accomplishments of development experts in areas like health, education, and technology. He argues that the positive impacts far outweigh any negative consequences resulting from the technocratic approach. He challenges Easterly to prove that the harm caused by this approach outweighs the good.
Importance of Rights: Both debaters agree on the fundamental importance of rights for the poor. However, they differ on whether development experts have adequately addressed these rights. Easterly believes they have failed, while Barder points to various programs and initiatives aimed at protecting and promoting rights.
The Role of Aid: The debate touches upon the role of aid, with Easterly arguing it's a small player in development, and Barder emphasizing its positive contributions. Easterly criticizes the tendency to praise autocratic rulers who receive aid, regardless of their human rights records.
The "Aid Prison": Easterly repeatedly expresses frustration with the tendency to confine development discussions solely to aid-related policy recommendations, limiting the broader debate on freedom versus autocracy in the context of development.
Barder supports his defense of the technocratic approach by citing the improvements seen in Ethiopia since the 1980s. He specifically points to the absence of famine in 2008 despite a drought, contrasting it with the devastating famines of the 1970s and 80s. He attributes this improvement to the Ethiopian government's willingness to address the problem, a more diverse and regulated press, an early warning system, and prepositioned food supplies—all facilitated, at least in part, by donor support and the technocratic approach to development. He further cites improvements in education, health, and access to clean water as evidence of the positive impact of development cooperation.
Based solely on the provided transcript, Easterly argues that democracy is a necessary condition for, and contributes to, successful development. He doesn't explicitly state that democracy must come before development, but his emphasis on the importance of individual rights and accountability strongly suggests that he believes democratic systems are superior and more conducive to genuine, sustainable development. He uses the example of the Civil Rights movement in the US to support this idea, implying that the fight for ideals and rights was a powerful force leading to positive social and economic change.
