WIDER Panel: Summing Up

Richard Jolly of City University of New York
Margaret Kakande of Uganda Finance Ministry
Per Pinstrup-Andersen of Cornell
Gita Sen of Indian Institute of Management
Richard Jolly of City University of New York
"Don't anyone fall asleep because I'm not going to speak long and I can see you."
Over 2000s, 12/19 Latina American countries saw inequality decrease, often through government.
He recommends UNhistory.org for 9 ideas that changed the world: 1 - Human rights for all; 2) gender empowerment; 3) fairer economic relationships 4) global goals 5) development strategies 7) environment and sustainable development 8) human security 9) human development.
UN has often differed from BrettonWoods while they got most of the money and press
9 Nobels have worked for the UN. 1 for the World Bank: Joe Stiglitz and he resigned. How can we get UN ideas taken more seriously?
UN needs to become a focus around which NGOs can mobilize
1 - More work within UN development frames. 2 - More analysis of country or regional experience, less cross-section regressions. 3 - Orthodoxies must be challenged with evidence. UN has been weak in challenging Washington Consensus. 4 - More listening to developing country experts. 4 - More listening to #developing country experts. 5 - More recognition of UN and balance between UN and Bretton Woods.

Comment by Erik Thorbecke: I never thought I would defend the World Bank, but it has done some wonderful things. The work by Martin Ravallion, for instance, in measuring poverty is essential. When you say question orthodoxies, I am sure you would agree that includes yours.

Margaret Kakande
Growth matters. We need to take sustainability and equitability more seriously.
More evidence based policy. More stakeholder involvement at every level of planning. More work between UN and BrettonWoods, cross-pollinate.

Per Pinstrup-Andersen
The impact of triple crisis depends on globalization and integration. Price transmission low bcs poor markets, infrastructure, or policy
These changes came from somewhere, not from on high. Need to examine feedback loops - a two-way transmission.
Need to examine international prisoner's dilemma, solidarity (at what price? stability? - if they try, they won't be in power very long), beggar-thy-neighbor policies. India's rice export ban maintained credibility and stability in-country while worsening food crisis for other countries.
Globalization has spread faster than global institutions. Commitment and agreement are difficult (Copenhagen on environment, Doha)
Need international financial regulations, environmental (full-costing to internalize social costs and benefits).
Wouldn't it be better to isolate a country? NKorea an example.... nnnno.
Much greater risks if you cut yourself off than if you spread the risk with others, but how will others behave?
One paper showed: if you think aid is ineffective, it is your framework and regressions that are wrong.
Not much scale in primary production, but lots in processing. Importance of producer groups.
We need better data. Ask me about the conference I'm organizing about the data problems.
PowerPoints are for hypnotizing chickens.

Gita Sen
"The only thing worse than being exploited by capitalism is NOT being exploited by capitalism."
There is an excitement here in the development economics scene I have not seen in some time.
We need to worry about inequality not only from flying tops, but sinking bottoms.
Ethics needs to be addressed more in development economics. Bretton Woods have broken all three. Done harm, no consent, no accountability.
RCT using informed consent. Health is beginning to say consent is not enough. A woman filled survey, was beaten by husband. What do we do?
A lot to consider how we choose between sticks, carrots, and internalization of norms.
What is it that will take us where norms change? charity, corruption, violence... Latest psychological experiments in economics more exciting in this regard than RCT, which is purely behavioral.
Not just multi-level, but intersectionality. Not just poor, lower-class women vs. rich, upper-class man. What happens in middle?
Ghana - discovering oil has filled them with terror. What governance mechanisms will prevent it from going the way of Nigeria? We need to say more about governance mechanisms that would answer that question.

Comment: There's an enormous conservatism in 'Do no harm.'