Bringing in the Future: Strategies for Farsightedness and Sustainability in Developing Countries,Used

Review This is an imaginative and sophisticated treatment of a tremendously important, albeit extremely complicated, collection of topics. Few authors could have carried this off as well as Ascher given his long and varied career as both a distinguished policy scientist and responsible practitioner. Indeed, he virtually draws on almost everything he knows as he classifies, inventories, and assesses dozens of different ways, means, and strategies to promote what he terms farsightedness. Garry D. Brewer, Yale School of Management Published On: 20080610Why do policy makers often make decisions that are not in their countries longterm interests and how can they be encouraged to be more farsighted?These questions are critical for so many aspects of the development agenda and are the subject of this fascinating book.The brilliance of this book is William Ascher's comprehensive approachdrawing on economics, politics, and psychologyto analyze decision making, provide many useful ideas for expanding time horizons, and improve policy. Jennie Litvack, Lead Economist, World Bank Published On: 20081017Bringing in the Future is a lucid, multidisciplinary analysis of how weour governments and our societiescan overcome the comfort and limitations of a shortterm perspective in our policy and decision making for the benefit of humankind and the planet. This book is based on Professor Aschers lifelong experience as a scholar and policy adviser to international organizations and developing nations but its findings have universal value. A mustread for the policy analyst and the worlds aspiring leaders. Francis Lethem, Duke University Published On: 20081027 Product Description Humans are plagued by shortsighted thinking, preferring to put off work on complex, deepseated, or difficult problems in favor of quickfix solutions to immediate needs. When shortterm thinking is applied to economic development, especially in fragile nations, the resultscorruption, waste, and faulty planningare often disastrous. In Bringing in the Future, William Ascher draws on the latest research from psychology, economics, institutional design, and legal theory to suggest strategies to overcome powerful obstacles to longterm planning in developing countries.Drawing on cases from Africa, Asia, and Latin America, Ascher applies strategies such as the creation and scheduling of tangible and intangible rewards, cognitive exercises to increase the understanding of longerterm consequences, selfrestraint mechanisms to protect longterm commitments and enhance credibility,and restructuring policymaking processes to permit greater influence of longterm considerations. Featuring theoretically informed research findings and sound policy examples, this volume will assist policy makers, activists, and scholars seeking to understand how the vagaries of human behavior affect international development. About the Author William Ascher is the Donald C. McKenna Professor of Government and Economics at Claremont McKenna College. The latest of his numerous books are Guide to Sustainable Development and Environmental Policy and Revitalizing Political Psychology.