Common Wealth: Economics for a Crowded Planet
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Common Wealth: Economics for a Crowded Planet Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Jeffrey D. Sachs (Author), Malcolm Hilgartner (Narrator), Penguin Audio (Publisher)
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 97 ratings
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“Lucid, quietly urgent, and relentlessly logical . . . this is Bigthink with a capital B.”—The New York Times Book Review

“Common Wealth explains the most basic economic reckoning that the world faces.”—Al Gore, winner of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize and former vice president of the United States

In Common Wealth, Jeffrey D. Sachs—one of the world's most respected economists and the author of The New York Times bestseller The End of Poverty—offers an urgent assessment of the environmental degradation, rapid population growth, and extreme poverty that threaten global peace and prosperity. Through crystalline examination of hard facts, Sachs predicts the cascade of crises that awaits this crowded planet—and presents a program of sustainable development and international cooperation that will correct this dangerous course. Few luminaries anywhere on the planet are as schooled in this daunting subject as Sachs, and this is the vital product of his experience and wisdom.

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  1. Listening Length
    12 hours and 30 minutes
  2. Author
    Jeffrey D. Sachs
  3. Narrator
    Malcolm Hilgartner
  4. Audible release date
    January 12, 2009
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    Penguin Audio
  7. ASIN
    B001QKBHWS
  8. Version
    Unabridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
  10. See all details
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Product details

Listening Length 12 hours and 30 minutes
Author Jeffrey D. Sachs
Narrator Malcolm Hilgartner
Whispersync for Voice Ready
Audible.com Release Date January 12, 2009
Publisher Penguin Audio
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B001QKBHWS
Best Sellers Rank #322,937 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#88 in Environmental Economics (Audible Books & Originals)
#172 in Environmental Public Policy
#1,460 in Development & Growth Economics (Books)

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
97 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Giorgos SK
5.0 out of 5 stars "Common Wealth: Economics for a Crowded Planet", Jeffrey Sachs
Reviewed in the United States on December 2, 2009
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Jeffrey Sachs offers the reader a clear picture and sound proposals for the global challenges that lie ahead of us. I have followed many lectures for climate stability, sustainable development, the bottom billion, the demographic transition etc. These are matters that will challenge our well being in the 21st century. Yet reading this book made me understand better the nature and the implications of these challenges. I strongly recommend this book for anybody who values globalization!
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B. Tom Green
5.0 out of 5 stars 3% of "Haves"income could realize 100% of"WORLD'S"major dreams
Reviewed in the United States on June 9, 2010
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A brilliant, pragmatic, fact based analysis of the world's challenges and its resources. Would you give up THREE (3) % of your income to solve human-kinds challenges, held for thousands of years: The end of hunger, the end of poverty, safe water and shelter for all... Dr. Sachs carefully, irrefutably outlines how this is possible! Why don't we do it?

A must-read for all who want to make a difference.
3 people found this helpful
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PSUGrad
3.0 out of 5 stars Book Review
Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2010
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While this book contains some factual data and presents them in an interesting light, the author falls into the typical free market bashing rythm of many on the far left idalogues that view government as the solution to everything. Sachs relies heavily on the Global Warming "The sky is falling..." viewpoint that says that mankind is the reason for global climate change. If he did a little accurate research he would come to realize that the earth is not millions of years old, and that all of creation points to a creator who holds this all together. Yes we need to live responsibly as private citizens and corporations, but Sachs fails to recognize the reasons behind the growing "non-clean" energy which resulted from environmental extremists forbidding the use of clean energy technology like nuclear power. As Ronald Reagan once said "Government is not the solution to our problems, Government is the problem".
One person found this helpful
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Izaak VanGaalen
4.0 out of 5 stars The Rising Costs of Environmental Degradation
Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2008
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With the publication of  The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for Our Time  just a few years ago, Jeffrey Sachs estimated that it would take annual donations of 135 to 190 billion dollars by rich countries to eradicate poverty by 2025. Those were the UN Millenium Development Goals of 2000. But much has happened since then. Economic development has accelerated and not because of development aid, it was mostly due to globalization or market forces. The unfortunate by-product of this development has been enviromental stress. In order to continue development in a sustainable way and also reach areas of sub-Sahara Africa, the price tag will go up. According to Sachs, it will now require 840 billion dollars or about 2.4 percent of rich-world income. This is still a bargain when one considers the alternative.

Sachs is obviously a liberal with a grandiose plan that many will call utopian. He has been famously criticized by conservatives such as William Easterly in  The White Man's Burden . Conservatives are not keen on large-scale plans in general, and they are generally cynical about what governments and humanitarian aid agencies can accomplish. However, in spite of their differences, Sachs and Easterly share some common ground. They both believe that small targeted projects that are either monitored or bypass corrupt government officials can be effective. Sachs is at his best when he draws on work done at the Earth Institute, of which he is director. The scientific farming techniques that he advocates are essential to the survival of the human race that is becoming predominantly urban.

Eradicating poverty is in everyone's interest since it slows down population growth. If the global population continues to grow at its current rate, reaching 10 billion at mid-century, our resources will be depleted. It is unrealistic for national governments or international organizations to try and control population growth. Only with economic security and widely distributed wealth will populations levels stabalize.

Sachs argues in the final chapter (The Power of One) that global cooperation is needed to solve the problems of poverty, overpopulation, pandemics, pollution, climate change, and scarcities of water, arable land and resources. This sounds naive and utopian but it is also true. National governments, however, will only be looking at their own short-term interests. But as environmental catastrophes start to mount, whether it's food shortages or rising sea-levels, governments will take action, but by then it might be too late.
16 people found this helpful
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John H. Wall
5.0 out of 5 stars Global Changes
Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2008
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The global energy, environmental and economic situation is going through major changes. Jeffrey Sachs does an excellent job of analyzing the issues, choices and possible consequences before the world community. Comprehensive in nature, this book makes an excellent textbook that should be required reading for all who need to understand the realities of the new age before us. This is all of us so "Common Wealth" is a must read.
2 people found this helpful
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tree boy
5.0 out of 5 stars Well thought out
Reviewed in the United States on November 16, 2012
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Jeffrey Sachs book should be a required reading for every college student, and also for our current and budding politicians. He has great understandind and foresight as to the world's problems and has solid recommendations on how to work toward a solution to all. President O'Bama should have him in his cabinet!
3 people found this helpful
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Richard J. Sarni
5.0 out of 5 stars Great practice
Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2014
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I have read many other books by Sachs. He is a common sense economist. I have read many books by noted international economists. I look forward to a continued read by this renown authority. If only more companies, countries and international agencies would put these ideas into practice.
6 people found this helpful
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GaryW
5.0 out of 5 stars Everyone, especially politicians needs to know this.
Reviewed in the United States on November 28, 2012
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Sachs pulls out real statistics to show the trend of the present world economies toward convergence and discusses the trainwreck that is coming if changes are not made to cut consumption of resources and the continued population explosion in the poorest countries.
4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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ginger
5.0 out of 5 stars got it
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 25, 2019
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got it
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I. Dobson
5.0 out of 5 stars One of two books you need to read to save the planet
Reviewed in Canada on April 11, 2010
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...the other one is "The Weathermakers", but thats for another review. This is not so much an economics book as a synopsis of all that is troubling in the world at the moment. Sachs explains the problems of population control and the significance of age stratification, issues around resource depletion and the serious problem of our disappearing global fresh water supply. Rather than being alarmist, Sachs explains the issues in simple straightforward terms and offers real workable solutions based on sound scientific and statistical data. You will come away from this book with a good working knowledge of the problems we hear about everyday and how to fix them. A very absorbing book and easily accessible to the average reader with no background in economics or science.
5 people found this helpful
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Taejun
5.0 out of 5 stars 自分たちには何ができるのか。
Reviewed in Japan on June 18, 2008
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本書のタイトルCommon Wealthは、（人類）共有の富とでも言うのでしょうか。科学の発展は、確実に世界をせまいものにしつつあり、それだけに、僕たちが直面している課題というのは、以前よりもより世界的な（commonな）ものであると、Sachs氏は主張します。特に現在私たちが直面している課題は、

１環境の保護
２人口の安定
３格差の是正と極度の貧困の終焉

の３つで、これらはお互いに密接に絡み合っています。問題は一つの国家のアクションによっては解決できず、世界的な協力関係によってのみ解決できるものだと彼は主張します。

上の3つの問題の解決は、継続可能な発展(Sustainable Development)につながるものです。　Sustainable Developmentは、上の3つの問題が適切に解決されてこそ実現が可能になります。　Sachs氏は、正しい方法をとれば、Sustainable Developmentは達成可能であると説きます。

環境の保護

科学技術の発展と、人口増加、一人当たり生産量の増加にともない、人類が地球環境に与えうるインパクトは年々増大しています。　すべての人が、現状を永続させることは不可能であることを知っています。　この30年で、脊髄動物の種はなんと半減しています（ところで、映画Earthはとてもよいですね）。　砂漠化も多くの地域で進み、十分に水が供給されない地域が増え、他方では水面の上昇により水没の危機にある国も増えています。　気温の上昇は、天災を増加させ、同時に新たな類の病気が蔓延する原因ともなっています。
これらの解決のためには、市場システムをうまく活かした政策の導入、規制、技術革新、食糧流通システムの効率化などが強く求められています。

人口の安定

人類の人口は、指数的に増加しています。西暦0年から1700年ごろまで、地球の人口は常に10億以下でした。それが、今や60億人。そして、現状が続けば、人口は2050年までに90億になる事が予想されています。継続可能な発展を達成するためには、これは80億以下に抑える必要があります。
人口の増加は、貧困の罠(自力では貧困から抜け出せなくなる状況)と密接に関わっています。最貧国における高い出生率は、幼児の高い死亡率に一因があります。しかし、高い出生率は、家庭が貧困から抜け出すことをより困難にし、それはその国家の経済成長を低下させ、他の国家にも影響を与えることになります。
人口の安定のためには、出生率を下げるインセンティヴを導入する必要があります。現に、先進国で多少の個別差がありながらも出生率が低いのは、インセンティヴによるものが多いのです（低い死亡率、高い養育費など）。途上国において出生率を下げるためにとるべきアクションは、医療制度を発展させ子供の死亡率を下げること（これには援助が必要です）、女の子の進学率を上げ、同時に女性の社会発展を促進することなどにあります。

格差の是正と極度の貧困の終焉

いまだに、世界の人口の6分の１である10億人は極度の貧困の中に生きていて、そのうち数百万人が毎年貧困のために亡くなっています。アフリカでは、5歳以下の幼児の死亡率は17.9%になります。　世界における幼児の死者数は毎日26,000人ですが、このうち3分の1は、ほんの少しのお金があれば（例えば蚊帳一つあれば）防げるものです。
お金があれば幸せになれるわけではありませんが、ない状態で幸せになる事は難しい。また、貧困は、政治不安や紛争、テロの温床にもなりえます。
貧困を解決するための基本的な処方箋は、以下のものになります。　まずは、人口を適切な水準に保つこと。　そして、そのうえで農業生産性を向上させ、社会インフラを整備し、民間部門主導の発展を促進するための技術の支援などを行う事にあります。

これにも多くのお金が必要です。　Sachs氏は、援助の必要性を説いています。　Easterlyは、これまでの多くの援助がまったくの無駄だったと説き、その原因はインセンティヴを考慮しなかったことによると主張していますが、Sachs氏は援助が事実無駄に使われうる事に同意しながらも、その無駄な援助は多くの場合先進国による「援助のための援助」であったこと、正しい方法によって運営された援助は、大きな効果をもたらしてきたことを話します。　特に、日本の開発援助が東・南アジアの国々の発展に大きく寄与してきたことを高く評価しています。

貧困の撲滅は、先進国が自らの収入の2.4%を毎年援助することによって達成することができるとSachs氏は主張します。アメリカの軍事費二日分で、アフリカ全土のマラリア対策費1年分を賄う事が出来るそうです。（そんな簡単なものではないと思いますが）軍事費の見直しを少しばかりすれば、貧困の撲滅のための資金は十分に拠出することが可能です。

現在、いくつかの国でMillennium Village Projectが進められています。　これは、村単位で農業・医療保険・教育などを発展させることにより経済開発に成功したロールモデルを数多く生み出しています。この経験を国家単位に適切に活かすことができるのであれば、2025年前に極度の貧困（1日に1ドル以下で生活すること）を撲滅させるMillennium Promiseを達成することは可能になるでしょう。

アクションの必要性

最初にも書いたように、僕たちがいま直面している問題は、より世界的な問題であり、皆の協力によってのみ乗り越えられるものになっています。政府のみならず、企業、NGOなど,大学・研究機関らの組織の連携がうまくいってこそ、問題は解決に進めることができます。

また、個人レベルでも今すぐにできることがあると、Sachs氏は話します：
・まず、僕たちの世代が直面している問題を認識すること
・各地に旅行して、現実を見ること
・永続可能な発展の実現のためにアクションをしている組織に自分も入ること
・周りの人々を巻き込むこと
・インターネットを活用して、永続可能な発展について知らせること
・自分の属している企業や、政府に働きかけること
・Millennium Promiseのスタンダードに沿って生活を送るようにすること

Jeffrey Sachsの地に足付いた楽観主義には本当に感じるところが多いです。僕も、いつまでもこうありたいと思います。まずは、自分ができるところから、少しずつでも着実にやっていこうと思います。
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多読志向
5.0 out of 5 stars 途上国貧困と東日本大震災被災の負担軽減法に一石
Reviewed in Japan on January 23, 2012
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「共通の富」とは、地球市民として、日本人としては、憲法第25条生存権「すべて国民は、健康で文化的な最低限度の生活を営む権利を有する」を世界化させることである。換言すれば、センと緒方貞子が提起した、「人間の安全保障」を世界化することである。本書は、世界人口70億人を越えた世の中で、BOP層がその半数以上を占め、あらゆる格差が拡大している中、日本人こそよく読むべき論点を提起している。例えば、2050年までの世界人口推計が高位水準と、低位水準と、中位水準とシナリオが設定されている。過大に見積もっておくのが、日本の少子高齢社会の予想よりも早い展開からしても、必要なことに思われる。それは、地球温暖化の海面上昇などの水準予測と同様に、高位水準、つまり、最悪な事態を想定しておくのが、原発事故を経た日本人の常識であろう。注目できるのは、「開発の梯子を上る」というサックス先生独自の表である。これは、途上国⇒中進国⇒先進国の図式とも読めるし、個人レベルの所得や家系、地域経済や国民経済の発展段階にも読める。いずれにせよ、ユヌスやガンディーなどの貧困研究の先覚者をも引用し、日本人においては、富のあり方を根本的に考え直す必要を感じさせる著作物であろう。
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N. Briand
4.0 out of 5 stars It's been seven years since I read this. Time ...
Reviewed in Canada on December 18, 2015
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It's been seven years since I read this. Time to read it again and see if it stood the test of time.
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