Esther Duflo: Social experiments to fight poverty

[crudhousefull]

This is probably the most groundbreaking TED presentation on poverty alleviation I've seen. If she also put in the idea that African governments should be involved from step one it might have been better.

[blueelectricsmoke]

it's weird to realize that field experiments with RCTs only started to become economic notions back in the 80s, and even then they didn't have much traction

[tippingpts]

My question:

Why didn't economists think of doing randomized trials earlier? Instead we had economists pretending to be mathematicians and physicists coming up with all kinds of incomprehensible equations that did not help to solve one single problem in the world.

On the contrary, many of the theories concerning free markets like the Washington Consensus ended up hurting entire countries.

And also central bankers who bail out wall street banks.

[penguino03]

24 people thought zee french acc-ent vas too strong, eh?

[KraussHelmut]

Bravo!

[keochk]

I for one don't believe bednets are a good enough prevention treatment to malaria. And medication is expensive.

[ShalomYal]

@keochk The nets are not the end goal BUT it is the cheapest way to save 10's of millions of people every year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So lets pony up for the nets and save these people!

[xtruder02]

dude  Esther Duflo is hot

[Happyascanbe1]

At 03:37 she says that malaria is the leading cause of under 5 mortality. Hello?!

[nublex]

nice try giel

[wii2050]

The parents in poor countries, especially in Africa, could afford to pay for malaria nets and education for their children if they wouldn't spend so much money on alcohol, tobacco and prostitutes. Read the story from New York times.

[Rawrlor]

@wii2050

The Russians do the same thing. People need their stuff.

[melbournaut]

06:01

[mundusvultdicipi]

@philkapune It depends on what other religions we're talking about. If a religion worships God and Jesus Christ, I don't contend with that. I would however oppose worshiping a God other than Christ.  It is some the principles (not of all of them) of Christian sects I disagree with. If a Church has true and good principles, I try to value them. I guess my faith in my religion is due to the persuasive power it's doctrine and the spiritual experiences I've had while following it.

[DAdZor]

Horrible accent, I can't listen to this!

[gr4ndhustle]

for poverty to be eradicated there should be a law stating that every filthy rich millionaire that earns millions every year has to donate 10.000 a month... .......there... problem solved, end of discussion.

[mundusvultdicipi]

@philkapune In Christ's name amen.

[mundusvultdicipi]

@philkapune . It is widely accepted as fact that a man named Jesus Christ lived. Our very timeline is based on His life.  The claims you are referring to I assume are Jesus Christ's miracles and that He was perfect. Hard to believe, yes. However I know that they are true, and sincerely urge you to investigate- regardless if you are well educated, love science, skeptical etc. I have experienced miraculous things- things that I cannot dismiss- that confirm my belief.

[dunnonuffink]

@mundusvultdicipi

There's a miracle recorded in (for) the process of making the English archbishop Thomas a' Becket into a saint; and this miracle involved an ancestor-family of mine (individuals named in local land & court records.)

This child was ill with diarhorrea (which we know can be fatal in young kids). His parents, lord & lady of a manor, prayed for over a week whilst he "did not eat & drank only water" - then recovered!

In 1281 they called it a miracle. We call it hydration.

[mundusvultdicipi]

@dunnonuffink I've experienced exquisite joy and emotional healing/strength that I strongly believe is because of obedience to my religion- this is the miracle I am speaking of. I am not at all suggesting results like you've mentioned due to practical efforts on our behalf are necessarily miracles. I don't think we should give up our efforts in things and leave it all to God either, but rather God wants us to be self reliant. However, I do believe that God can assists us in our endeavors.

[dunnonuffink]

@mundusvultdicipi

The point I was making was that even although they had observed the process that saved the child's life (reduced food/bacteria intake + staying hydrated) the 13th-century folk ascribed it to invisible supernatural beings.

Religious awe prevented them even THINKING OF repeating the successful natural remedy they observed. It rendered them literally blind! So millions more little children died miserable, unnecessry deaths for another half-millennium.

One of religion's evils.

[mundusvultdicipi]

@dunnonuffink I see your point. However they should've never assumed that there was no natural cure for the ailments the child was inflicted with. Is religion really the reason for the mistake? Or is misinterpretation? No religion should condemn scientific progress, nor should the denounce the idea that there are natural and practical solutions to all problems- nor should it assume any solution is beyond human reach. It should embrace truth.

[dunnonuffink]

@mundusvultdicipi

"No religion should condemn scientific progress, nor ...denounce the idea that there are..practical solutions - nor should it assume any solution is beyond human reach."

I agree with every "should". The monotheistic religions don't. Without exception they condemned every significant step in scientific progress; and earlier, denounced even the SEARCH for practical solutions as lack of "trust in God" saying that solutions OUGHT to be beyond human reach,

Secularism changed that.

[mundusvultdicipi]

@dunnonuffink Ok, I understand what you are saying.

[dunnonuffink]

@mundusvultdicipi

"they should've never assumed that there was no natural cure for the ailments the child was inflicted with."

The fact that they did assume that was wholly BECAUSE of their faith in the supernatural. It was inescapable. To seek a natural cure was forbidden by the church, condemned as witchcraft - and physicians were not exempt.

The Church correctly perceived that inquiry into cures, better ploughs or stars - is a route to self-help, critical thinking and power-shifts.

[mundusvultdicipi]

@dunnonuffink Not only is it possible that there are natural and practical solutions to all human problems (although, the way the world is now, it seems necessary to rely somewhat on a more capable supernatural being WITHOUT abandoning our efforts), it's also possible that there is a God. The correct religion would embrace both, if true. I believe the correct religion does embrace both, both the existence of God, and the significance of scientific research and practical and remedial efforts.

[dunnonuffink]

@mundusvultdicipi

"it's also possible that there is a God. The correct religion would embrace both,"

How true. In fact the correct religion already does embrace both: enter the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster (may you be touched by his noodly appendage) and you will find it's exactly the sort of rational, positive, kindly and tolerant religion of which you speak. :)

[dunnonuffink]

@mundusvultdicipi

Whether or not a god assists us in our endeavours, it does not follow that our belief in gods is an assistance. Rather the contrary.

In the case of the Western world, supernatural belief was for 500-800 years a very definite hindrance, except in two endeavours (1) keeping the poor humble, terrorised and accepting; and (2) firmly stamping on all endeavour that did not have the status quo as its object.

Both were achieved by stamping on rational inquiry & critical thinking.

[wheels88]

Good ideas, but she is mostly fixing the symptoms of a bigger disease. Awareness needs to be the ultimate goal. Education and stable government.

[funnyguise]

why would school uniforms even enter the education equation? as far as health goes, yes, nets for malaria, but, sanitation for other common diseases and permaculture for nutrition.

I'm still disappointed TED hasn't had any speakers on permaculture. I requested it 6 months ago.

[mundusvultdicipi]

@philkapune and I wasn't saying that "merely an acceptance of an out of the box metaphysical concept" was the literal definition of faith. I was trying say that faith is a metaphysical concept...I do apologize though I worded that incorrectly.

[mundusvultdicipi]

@philkapune Well, you've persuaded me otherwise.

Accept you havent.

Definition of Metaphysical= "concerned with abstract thought or subjects, as existence, causality, or truth" "Faith is a hope in things which are not seen with are true"= The LDS definition of faith. Faith pertains to not only supernatural, but unseen things, and truth, and even if it was only supernatural, it would still pertain to existence. It's clearly, CLEARLY, an existential, metaphysical, and abstract concept.

[George4943]

There are problems with "aid." Among them aid-dependency.

Surely the best "aid" is information. Rational information. Not Religion-inspired non-helpful advice.

Such aid should be entirely voluntary. No government should be involved to any degree.

Information as to basic science so basic sanitation is understood, why nets work, and why the use of condoms can prevent AIDS.

Information. So an informed decision can be made. Even if that decision is wrong. Such is the cost of freedom.

[CalvinoMovies]

I generally dislike people who criticize only the speakers in a video but I am sorry I couldn't watch the video her accent is really too strong and that's annoying she doesn't seem to make any effort. I'm French myself and my accent is not amazing but come on a little effort is nice especially during a Ted Talk

The content is probably great but please Ms Dufloat least try to do something with your accent

[emofelix23]

@CalvinoMovies It depends on when she learned the language the language center of our brains makes it easy to learn a language as a child but the later you learn it the harder it is. She made a great effort but when you make educated argument and you have to think when you talk your accent is not the first thing you worry about. I'm German and I've been in America so long that my accent really only comes out when I get angry or madly in-love because I don't have my accent on my mind.

[emofelix23]

Personally I think the original actions by the industrialized world in Africa was and still is stupidity. Christian missionaries go in a try to convert people with the promise of aid and benefits. This is wrong as someone who worships pagan ideas I see this as wrong. I think aid and benefits should be given regardless if they choose to become a part of the church or not. I think it should be looked at through a secular point of view. A good view on this was in "Things Fall Apart" by Achebe.

[mundusvultdicipi]

@emofelix23 Christian Missionaries don't bribe others with promises of aid and benefit. True Christianity is love in action. No real Christian would deny a needy person benefit because of there religious belief. Since when did Christianity become a discriminative organization? Oh that's right, it hasn't. Public opinion may ridicule Christianity, but that merely makes the public opinion erroneous, not Christianity.

[emofelix23]

@mundusvultdicipi It has happen more then ounce, you don't see it as often know due to the success of the ones before hand which was why I recommended the book at the end of my statement. I agree a true Christians don't do that like true Muslims don't kill people. Christianity is a great religion but throughout history people has used it to claim superiority. The greatest examples was the inquisition. I love Christians I'm not one ,I'm a Wiccan, but I think Jesus was a cool guy.

[mundusvultdicipi]

@emofelix23 no doubt. Misuse and distortion of Christianity has led to oppression.

[Apeiron242]

The speaker doesn't seem to be thinking of the suffering that would happen if these 9 million children became 9 million hungry adults... having more children.

[Wormtail81]

Try Capitalism: Property Rights & Free Trade.

[cougarcrossing]

I find requiring people to abandon their beliefs that lead them to help others misguided. If the provider does not deny aid based on their beliefs, then acting against them is simply replacing your belief system for theirs.

[Coadunate]

The_Trouble_With_Tribbles

[Trigunflame]

This is a man with a woman's haircut.

[cougarcrossing]

This feedback loop is important because it often brings to light failures with the aid concepts. For example, the bed nets are not often used when it is needed most, hot and muggy nights. They also use these nets for other purposes.

[cougarcrossing]

In regards to these negative comments against religious organizations, can you please forward me a link? I have been involved in and support such outreach, and my experience has been the focus has been almost entirely on local provisions, health, and education improvements.

[Fintinobrien]

Comment

[8legsFreak]

1.Soak those lentils in a sterilising/neutering drug, and distribute all over Africa, and Middle East.

2.Give a small cheap, durable netbook for every gun/landmine/explosive those people hand over.

3.Instruct the locals how to built wind-to-electricity turbines, Wi-Fi antenae,and sell cheap solar panels.

4.Distribute water nano-filters(shown on TED some time ago).

5.Discourage religion, promote atheism, and democratic republicanism, especially among older children and young adults.

[fauxman]

love the accent

[MrStartingGun]

It is great to know that a lot of people didn't listen to or comprehend what the speaker was talking about, but are instead content to share their brilliant ideas for panaceas that will solve the world's problems. Bravo!

[sucktdeep]

@8:30 she sais "its all economics, something something" i didnt understand her accent. Why is it cheaper to fund camps that give lentils vs the ones that dont ?

[Freigeist20789]

@sucktdeep she says, you have to pay the nurse anyway, because of this the cost per every immunisation is lower. the freecenters gives away more in the same time.

But yes, the french accent is really bad^^

[lordmetroid]

@Freigeist20789 Nah, the accent isn't bad.

[ohheheinbon]

@sucktdeep ... "well, it turns out it's wrong economics, because it is cheaper to give lentils than not to give them: since you have to pay for the nurse anyway, the costs per immunization end up being cheaper if you give incentive than if you don't".

Come on, it's not that bad...

[yourtube20061]

amzing and v practical, only if the leaders wd want to do this. its always easier to control and manipulate poor and uneducated ppl so it can b a threat to the leaders themselves !!

[yourtube20061]

"Malaiya" ?

[steve0281]

I've got a quicker, easier, and more cost effective way to handle Malaria: DDT. It won't be used to catch fish, it kills the vector it doesn't require that everyone learn to use it, it's simple, and it is cheap. Not using it has cost millions of lives in Africa. There is a genocide of marching people off into camps and there is the one of withholding treatment.

[ashleylovesdaddy]

She's a pleasure to listen to.

[geodesicks]

Here's a suggestion: Get the International Criminal Court to ban the Catholic Church in southern Africa. Half its problems would be solved in a couple of years.

[VigilantnotMilitant]

@geodesicks How about first getting America to comply with the ICC?

[shearlockholmes]

resource management eg wasteful fishing practises that see millions of tonnes of fish cast overboard , farming subsidies in the west that see our exports cheaper than the developing worlds homegrown produce thus negating any point in them growing anything and then the corporates but their land up for more cheap food for the west. birth control is just eugenics so education is vital but that would be to dangerous for the west as they would see how their lives are used for consumerism

[icemanguitar]

how about no tmaking school uniforms mandatory

[beachcomber2008]

Admirable and very positive.

[Izwat]

yeah we still need improvement in the world that's why we got tv shows and multi millon bagets on film makeing and othere multi billon exprements on sincese healthreserche space cumputers you name it let me add one more war yahh we can make it we are a kind and loving species living for each othere we take care of the needy and poor yes we need to improve

[Storhonta]

@Izwat I'd love to see the cumputers =)

[Izwat]

@Storhonta cumputers are a thing of the future you need to timetravel in to the future in order to see it :)

[Shalek]

Pay the people a little for sending their children to school, like with the vaccines?

[CapMurd]

thevenusproject - just gotta add this here

[Ferdeux]

@CapMurd venus project is a totally eutopic idea. It wont be done until we solve energy problems. And by that i mean we need to make it clean, overproduced AND free... stop thinking about it. For now...

[CapMurd]

@Ferdeux

Hardly the case, but this is not the place to start arguing. Also, energy has never been a problem, but people are.

[brechtjah]

While it may sound terribly inhuman & I realize this I'm just wondering: why are we helping these people? Do we owe them or something? In "rich" countries in EU&US if a poor person dies because of malaria we would look the other way, while on the other side of the world we dodge bullets to save a child dying from malaria while it will get raped after you left it & die of aids.

Are we really increasing the chances of survival by curing one disease while another hits them later? Just my thoughts

[pakratmak]

@brechtjah A clinical response for a clinical question. A well and wealthy people could afford and be able to purchase our exports while offering the products of their resources for trade and sale as well. It may come down to a matter of looking well past present circumstances toward an optimized future.

Then there's all the touchy-feely stuff with alleviating suffering and tending to our fellow man.

Something for everyone really.

[reapfreak]

Capitalism and globalization, only solutions to most poverty.

[Clausfarre]

Here's a real neat trick to deal with poverty, some would say a miracle even. Birth control, birth control and more birth control. Taking a minute to study the population explosion of most of the world's poorest countries should be a revelation. Don't drop food - drop condoms, or nothing at all.

[Shalek]

@Clausfarre Too bad the catholic church is ruining everything on that regard.

[Cradle2Venus]

@Clausfarre Condoms alone will not solve poverty. I assume you are from a region where rape is uncommon and your living standards are high enough to assume that if you have one child it will likely live at least into teen ages.

Poverty stricken countries do not have that same comfort. Some babies are born out of necessity (extra labor hand), some from cultural/regional customs, and many are rape children.

Perhaps you should do some real research instead of band-aiding the issue with a rubber.

[ablasdel]

@Clausfarre Since she is talking about studying these problems do you have any studies to back up condom drops? Do they actually work or do you just think they will?

[awesomeSkins]

@ablasdel He is using that phrase as representation of population reduction methods as a whole.He is right, population should be half of what is it, but it's growing. Earth cannot support this many people, end of.

[AlgeKalipso]

@Clausfarre I am afraid that this again is an ideological trap. Heuristically it sounds very reasonable to drop condoms or implement family control classes in the local schools, but only real experimentation can differentiate the effect of these practices from less intuitive ones. An example that comes into my mind is the empirically tested correlation between vaccines and birth control, which otherwise sounds like a crazy idea. We ought to test and then decide, that is the road to welfare.

[BaileysBeads]

@Clausfarre Completely agree Clausfarre, however, it's the emancipation that is the true birth control here, and luckily it's already happening. Women who rise in power and get jobs even careers won't have as much children.

[MIXOLYDIAN123]

@Clausfarre Does anyone else make the connection between the £?Billions debt for the UK at present and the fact we gave £34 Billion to China in aid last year, or the millions we gave India (who are building their own Aircraft Carrier and devloping their own space programme) or £5.5 Billion from the Department for International Development???? And yet we are facing higher taxes, cuts in public spending. Clausfarre is a genious

[gulllars]

@Clausfarre Actually, research has shown preventing child mortality works as birth control. The theory applied to the data states that if a mother know her children is likely to grow up and have children of their own and then take care of her when she can't work anymore, she does not need to produce as many to be sure at least some will.

Though i agree condoms are also a good cause, but one major obstacle there is religion which isn't that easy to overcome.

[Rawrlor]

@Clausfarre

So all this fucking theorizing by intellectuals is useless, huh? Because the answer is right in front of our faces? Just stop the people from having kids and that will give them jobs and education?

[adriluvzu]

@Clausfarre The point of Esther's presentation is that you can't go about things by simply doing them. The majority of the population in Sub-Sahara Africa believe that any form of contraceptives are a kind of witch craft. You can't simply hand them a condom and believe they're going to know how to use it and that it'll actually be a good thing. They need to know what it is and its use. Another point is that those families with multiple children have them to help out with labor. Gather your facts

[algrand90]

@Clausfarre

you say birth control and i say education education education !!

[platlikepus]

awesome, adorable accent!

(good talk too)

[yousefamar]

It only starts getting interesting halfway through.

[tetranoob]

An insightful valuable talk!

[zeeshan66]

who cares if you see the video first or second. Poverty is a man made pandemic how do we eradicate it?

[chiwiitube]

LOGIC! THANK YOU! :p

[ToiToiToiHerrKaleun]

fighting aids, maleria, child mortality etc etc etc .... so the answer to solving the problems of the third world is increasing their dramatic population growth even more? correct me if I'm wrong but isnt that retarded?

[lalegende007]

@ToiToiToiHerrKaleun I think that you're wrong. In countries with high child mortality people, have more children. Probably something to do with the fact that they don't need to try so many times to have descends. Also with better health conditions, comes better social conditions and better education. With better education, the number of children people have usually declines. I guess it s because, in a poorer country, children means more hands that can earn money for the family to survive.

[jackalrama]

@ToiToiToiHerrKaleun yea you are wrong. You can look this up.

[Shalek]

@ToiToiToiHerrKaleun It may come as a surprise but fighting mal-nutrition and otherwise saving lives is the best way to fight poverty apparently.

[chiritaalex]

LOL @ all the comments

[IC1101]

They don't need food, they need KNOWLEDGE!

[GetMeThere1]

Well...when I thought I COULD understand what this bitch was saying (and someone who has been a professor at MIT for over ten years should be able to speak understandable English)....it seems she was saying that dollars spent on education give the best "bang for the buck" in fighting poverty. I would have thought that was obvious. It's WAY obvious--has been to me for many years.

[TheSpankymonkey]

@GetMeThere1 . Problem is when you think you are sending teachers and the budget gets spent but all you end up with is spending on your money so some religious zealot can get a free ride to go an preach to people.

[GetMeThere1]

@TheSpankymonkey : I agree with that. Religious proselytizing to the third world poor is an abomination.

[cougarcrossing]

@GetMeThere1 If they are providing care when they share their beliefs how is this an abomination? I have seen good results from The Salvation Army and WorldVision. They are filling a gap that does not appear to be filled.

[GetMeThere1]

@cougarcrossing : It's an abomination because the last thing that primitive and poor people need is further encouragement to be superstitious. Superstition and magical thinking are a blight on the poor, that keeps them from the objective and rational considerations necessary to improve their circumstances.

[cougarcrossing]

@GetMeThere1 In my experience modern missionaries are hardly superstitious but very practical and rational. Their theistic beliefs are no more dangerous to decison process that than seeking help outside oneself hurts alcoholics anonymous. It is useful to feel that you can draw upon something outside yourself. Further, such beliefs often replace beliefs that do ascribe metaphysical causes to daily actions.

[cougarcrossing]

@GetMeThere1 I recommend you look up the Scientific 100, a thoughtful ranking of the world's most influential scientists and look at their belief systems. Most were and are religious, even if only culturally.

[GetMeThere1]

@cougarcrossing : And I recommend you sell it somewhere else.

[cougarcrossing]

@GetMeThere1 Fair enough.  I was responding to your generalization. Have a good day.

[mundusvultdicipi]

@cougarcrossing not to mention one of the highest IQ's out there, Johann Wolfgang Von Goeth, (210) was a religious thinker. I have often heard that it is for the "weak minded" ...how ironic. In my opinion, the concept of "faith" is merely an acceptance of an "out of the box" metaphysical concept. Even if I weren't religious...I would feel mentally immature if I rejected the possibilities it suggests. Religious opinions aside, I appreciate the remedial efforts of religious organizations

[mundusvultdicipi]

@philkapune And if you had some sort of foundation that you were building on, some sort of intellectual evidence, i might listen, but nope, it's just you purely stating your opinion. Great scientists probably were so because they were not close minded to religion- I'm not close minded concerning science, which I regard as an ever changing compilation material that is sometimes called "the facts." No religious evidence? HELLO? THE BIBLE? I guess i should just urinate on every history book too...

[cougarcrossing]

@GetMeThere1 Religious aid organizations tend to run 80-90% incoming donation to end recipient, whereas secular are often only 40-60% . Religious belief systems drive volunteerism and losses to management are mimimized. I would reconsider their efforts in this light.

[GetMeThere1]

@cougarcrossing : I'm not interested in this "debate." I find proselytizing to desperate people to be an abomination. But, of course, I generally find religion itself (particularly the Abrahamic religions) abominable. Nothing about that is meant to suggest that religious aid workers don't also sometimes provide helpful services.

[cougarcrossing]

@TheSpankymonkey Can you source this for me? Typically, my experience is that the religious donating to such causes not freeloading.

[tetranoob]

@GetMeThere1 Einstein never lost his accent either :)

[GetMeThere1]

@tetranoob : I find recordings of Einstein much easier to understand that this woman.

[AFXE]

twelth

[AFXE]

tenth

[CliveSinclairZX]

tenth?!

[bjornschirmer]

Third!

[penpcm]

I am second.

[VitriolicAC]

Damn, not processed.

[Dejarr]

Second

[NewgroundsOwnSBB]

@Apollexis you cretin