Violent Saviors
The West's Conquest of the Rest
Book • 2025
In 'Violent Saviors', William Easterly explores nearly four centuries of global history, focusing on the tension between conquest and commerce in the West's interactions with the rest of the world.
He argues that true economic development requires the right to consent and agency, not just material gains imposed by conquest.
Drawing on liberal economic thinkers like Adam Smith, Milton Friedman, and Amartya Sen, Easterly highlights how global trade has empowered billions and insists that dignity, respect, and self-determination must be central to the fight against poverty.
The book critically examines the paternalistic and coercive ideologies behind Western conquest and colonialism, while offering hope through the promotion of freedom and individual dignity.
He argues that true economic development requires the right to consent and agency, not just material gains imposed by conquest.
Drawing on liberal economic thinkers like Adam Smith, Milton Friedman, and Amartya Sen, Easterly highlights how global trade has empowered billions and insists that dignity, respect, and self-determination must be central to the fight against poverty.
The book critically examines the paternalistic and coercive ideologies behind Western conquest and colonialism, while offering hope through the promotion of freedom and individual dignity.
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William Easterly
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