TED Talk: Social Experiments to Fight Poverty
Fighting poverty (in this country and worldwide) can be extremely frustrating because it’s a complex issue, and it’s difficult to determine the best strategy. For example, some experts say “Don’t give aid”; some experts say “Give more aid.”
I’ve given money (and still do) to organizations that fight poverty. Do I know that the organizations are going to use my money effectively to alleviate poverty? No. I simply hope and pray that the organizations are using effective strategies and that my money will somehow make a difference. It feels like gambling, in some sense.
But what works, what strategies alleviate poverty? Why haven’t we figured this out yet?
In her compelling and enlightening TED Talk (see video below), Esther Duflo says we can find out which strategies are best, and to do that, we need to do more social experiments. Duflo gives specific examples of social experiments in Africa that have produced valuable insights.