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My preferred way to make money from poverty is that tiny investments can produce huge returns. There are also high search costs. If you can find poor people w
by rdl 13y ago
My preferred way to make money from poverty is that tiny investments can produce huge returns. There are also high search costs.
If you can find poor people who are really smart and haven't been permanently damaged by their experience (i.e. internalized failure, still believe success is possible, etc.), you can find some really amazing employees, partners, etc. People for whom "find a place to stay in California for a few weeks while looking for a job" is basically impossible.
- Crito 13y agoThat certainly works too, but I don't think you need to be corrupt to go that route.
- rdl 13y agoOh, my argument is that corruption (by other people) causes innocent/good people to be poor, and then other people who are self-interested (at least) and potentially altruistic can help those poor people. Although generally my preferred form of helping would involve the corrupt people and some rope; much more efficient.
- ericd 13y agoI think the Chinese govt. is roughly on the same page as you re rope, though I don't know how much of that is actually just a weapon to be wielded against opponents. I wonder how well that's been working at reducing corruption.
- rdl 13y agoUnless it's all a shame, a lot of what the central Chinese government does seems great for China and neutral to good for everyone in the world. Most of the stupidity in China seems to come from provincial or local governments.