Wall Street Journal Essays Examine Differing Views on African Development

In a Wall Street Journal essay exploring various ideas presented in the book, "The Rational Optimist: How Prosperity Evolves," by science writer Matt Ridley, Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, writes: "Development in Africa is difficult to achieve, but I am optimistic that it will accelerate. Science will come up with vaccines for AIDS and malaria, and the 'top-down' approach to aid criticized by Mr. Ridley (and by the economist William Easterly) will fund the delivery of these life-saving drugs. What Mr. Ridley fails to see is that worrying about the worst case -- being pessimistic, to a degree -- can actually help to drive a solution" (11/27).

In a response to Gates also published in the Wall Street Journal, Ridley writes: "I think that we agree on the most important point, namely, that Africa can have a good future. ... Far from saying that aid 'doesn't work, hasn't worked and won't work,' I actually say this in my book: 'Some of the most urgent needs of Africa can surely be met by increased aid from the rich world. Aid can save lives, reduce hunger, deliver a medicine, a mosquito net, a meal or a metalled road.'" Ridley goes on to write: "Now here I admit that Mr. Gates does have a point. Unintentionally, I have given him and perhaps other readers the impression that, in my view, combating malaria or AIDS does not pay economic dividends. It does. What I do take issue with is economic aid designed to stimulate economic growth" (11/27).

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