Cassandra and David Rolph's Website

I should have read the summary of this book a bit more carefully. I was expecting to buy a book, written by a successful financier, about where the global economy is going. The plan was to get rich by moving our assets to where the future is. What I got was a book by philanthropist on how the global economy could be improved to the benefit of the disadvantaged on this planet. On second thoughts I'm glad I didn't carefully read the summary, because I wouldn't have bought the book if I had. I'm glad I read this book.

My knowledge of global financial instruments and how they work is quite limited. Even after reading the book I still don't really understand the exact mechanism of what Soros was proposing. But his basic point was the World Trade Organization is a very successful organization facilitating free trade around the plan. While its not perfect, its worked to the benefit of most everybody. However, the world needs other market driven, transparent global organizations to facilitate the effective provision of things like poverty relief, environmental protection, human rights etc.

Soros believes that a global market for these "public goods" is the best way to distribute them efficiently. In other words if money allocated for poverty relief could be bid on in a market such that it would end up where it would do the most good the world would be a better place.

After reading this book I got to thinking that there could be worse things in this world than working for the good of the disadvantaged masses. If you could work in an organization that was effective it would be very rewarding I think.