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March 25, 2005
Wolfowitz, Economist
Echoing my own comments, an Economist
The World Bank: Wolf at the door
Mar 17th 2005
From The Economist print edition
http://www.economist.com/opinion/displayStory.cfm?story_id=3767432
The World Bank is the world's biggest development agency—a sprawling bureaucracy that is extremely difficult to run well. Its leader needs to know about development, be able to articulate a workable vision and be a good manager. Mr Wolfowitz scores passably on two counts. He is not an economist or a banker, but has first-hand experience of developing countries (as American ambassador to Indonesia). He has public-sector management experience—not least as number two at the Pentagon, although the bungling in Iraq raises questions about just how good his management skills are. .... it is doubtful that Mr Wolfowitz's zealotry, albeit in that noble cause, is right for the Bank. Its job is alleviating poverty, and the relationship between democracy and the relief of poverty is, let us say, complicated. Think of China. There is also a risk in coming to the World Bank with a vision that is both grand and idiosyncratic—witness Robert McNamara, another Bank president fresh from the Pentagon with a mind to change the world. Haunted by Vietnam, Mr McNamara had big ideas for eliminating poverty and oversaw a huge expansion of the Bank. The result was bad lending and a weakened institution. Jim Wolfensohn, whom Mr Wolfowitz will replace, was likewise drawn to the grandiose. The Bank needs a realist more than a visionary.
I think this is fair and well stated. I've said before I am not at all comfortable with the ideological opposition to Wolfowitz, a man I do like at some level, but there are very practical reasons why another appointee would be better. And above all, more realism, less vision/ideology is needed from this Administration.
Posted by The Lounsbury at March 25, 2005 11:54 AM
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Jan-July 2005
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