Shortform Books

William Easterly: Foreign Aid Is a Civilizing Mission

What are William Easterly’s views on modern foreign aid efforts? How is the top-down approach to international aid reminiscent of the civilizing mission? According to the author of The White Man’s Burden, William Easterly, foreign aid is doing more damage than good. He compared the common top-down aid model to the civilizing mission of the 19th century—when Europeans and Americans believed they had to fix countries that they saw as backward. Here’s why the top-down foreign aid model is doing more harm than good, according to Easterly.

American Partisanship: A Brief History

When did political polarization start in the United States? At what point did partisan struggle start to subside? Immediately after the ratification of the United States Constitution, the American political system was characterized by intense partisan warfare between America’s two original parties—the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans. The partisanship subsided following the demise of the Federalist Party, only to escalate again in the 1850s. Eventually, the partisan struggles subsided and the democratic norms were restored. Here is a brief history of American partisanship.

How to Anticipate the Obstacles to Achieving Your Goals

What is the current goal you’re working towards? What are the potential obstacles that could get in your way? Once you have a comprehensive view of your goals and when you want to achieve them, the next step is to identify potential challenges. When you know the challenges and potential problems ahead of you, you can be better prepared to face them. Here is how to anticipate and prepare for the obstacles to achieving your goals.

Robert Kiyosaki: Rich Dad’s Cashflow Quadrant Quotes

Are you looking for Rich Dad’s Cashflow Quadrant quotes by Robert Kiyosaki? What are some of the most noteworthy passages worth revisiting? In Rich Dad’s Cashflow Quadrant, Kiyosaki uses the concept of four “cashflow quadrants” to emphasize that it’s not what you do that makes the difference between achieving financial freedom and being stuck in a cycle of job dependency, but what kind of income you earn. He categorizes income generation strategies into four categories or quadrants: E (employee), S (self-employed and small-business owners), B (big business owners), and I (investors). Below is a selection of Rich Dad’s Cashflow Quadrant quotes

William Easterly: The Problem With Humanitarian Aid

What are the major problems with humanitarian aid? How does bureaucracy get in the way of aid efforts? According to economist William Easterly in his book The White Man’s Burden, the bureaucracy surrounding international aid efforts is getting in the way of progress. The bureaucratic system causes a lack of accountability, coordination, and clear goals. Continue below to learn more about Easterly’s problems with humanitarian aid programs.

What Is Court-Packing? Explained With Examples

What is court-packing? What do politicians aim to achieve by increasing the number of justices in the Supreme Court? “Court-packing” is usually used to refer to changes in the size of the Supreme Court. This typically involves increasing the number of seats in the Supreme court with a view of changing its ideological makeup. Keep reading to learn about court-packing, explained with examples.

Clarify Your Values Before You Set Your Goals

What are your values in life? In other words, what’s most important to you? Why is it important to define your core personal values? Your values are like a compass—they show you a clear path forward and guide every decision you make as you work toward your goals. If you’re unclear about your values, you won’t be able to make decisions that move you in the right direction, resulting in frustration and a lack of fulfillment. Here’s why it’s important to clarify your values before you embark on a goal.

Rich Dad’s Cashflow Quadrant: Book Overview

What is the book Rich Dad’s Cashflow Quadrant about? What is the secret to wealth, according to its author Robert Kiyosaki? Rich Dad’s Cashflow Quadrant is the sequel to Robert Kiyosaki’s international bestseller, Rich Dad, Poor Dad. The central principles in Rich Dad’s Cashflow Quadrant and Rich Dad, Poor Dad are the same: The best way to achieve wealth is to eschew security and to work hard at a “good job” in favor of cultivating boldness and developing assets that will generate passive income. Below is a brief overview of Robert Kiyosaki’s book Rich Dad’s Cashflow Quadrant.

Is Donald Trump Really an Authoritarian?

Is Donald Trump an authoritarian? What signs of authoritarianism does Trump exhibit? According to Levitsky and Ziblatt, the authors of How Democracies Die, Donald Trump exhibits clear authoritarian tendencies. They state that such a figure becoming the nominee of a major political party was an unprecedented development in American politics. Further, they state that GOP leaders faced a choice in the general election: to stand with Trump or to stand for democracy. In this article, we’ll take a look at what makes Donald Trump authoritarian, according to Levitsky and Ziblatt.

Human Aid Can’t Help Bad Governments

Why can’t the countries in the West impose democracy and capitalism on developing nations? Is there another way to fix bad governments? In his book The White Man’s Burden, economist William Easterly argues that the West needs to stop trying to fix bad governments. He says that imposing top-down aid is not what’s going to help struggling nations. Here’s why Easterly thinks democracy and capitalism can’t be imposed.