Political Corruption in Europe And Latin America

A towering work of history examining the world's most pressing problem—the growing gulf between rich and poor. For the last six hundred years, the world's wealthiest countries have been mostly European. Late in our century, the balance has begun to shift toward Asia, where countries such as Japan have grown at astounding rates. Why have these dominant nations been blessed, and why are so many others still mired in poverty?… The key to relieving much of the world's poverty lies in understanding the lessons history has to teach us—lessons uniquely imparted in this groundbreaking book.

The result of a remarkable three-year-long investigation that took award-winning journalist and documentary filmmaker Marie-Monique Robin across four continents (North and South America, Europe, and Asia), The World According to Monsanto tells the little-known yet shocking story of this agribusiness giant–the world's leading producer of GMOs (genetically modified organisms)–and how its new "green" face is no less malign than its PCB- and Agent Orange-soaked past.

Why does corruption persist over long periods of time? Why is it so difficult to eliminate? Suggesting that corruption is deeply rooted in the underlying social and historical political structures of a country, Uslaner observes that there is a powerful statistical relationship between levels of mass education in 1870 and corruption levels in 2010 across 78 countries.

The global economy in 1950 was defined by a lack of interconnectedness and U.S. economic dominance. More than half a century later, stronger international economic ties and the rise of the Chinese and Indian economies are just two of the dramatic changes that are underway as globalization—the process of the world's diverse countries coming together and sharing experiences, events, and trade—continues to be a force in our economic climate.