Lant Pritchett

Lant Pritchett, a development economist and visiting professor at the London School of Economics, argues for the necessity of mass immigration to tackle aging populations in developed countries. He discusses how easing migration restrictions could significantly boost living standards in the developing world. Pritchett proposes a model for temporary work contracts to address anti-immigrant sentiments while meeting labor demands. The conversation highlights the urgent economic need for 450 million workers by 2050 and the rising political challenges surrounding immigration.

Economist Lant Pritchett discusses deep questions in development economics, challenging narrow focuses. He reflects on childhood influences, data analysis integrity, and education's impact on growth. Critiquing programmatic approaches, he advocates for systemic transformations for true prosperity. Highlighting talent clustering and learning emphasis for global progress, he explores state capability and power dynamics in organizational development.

The podcast delves into the concept of labor mobility as a key solution to poverty, emphasizing the importance of moving individuals to high-productivity areas. It challenges traditional development models and advocates for well-regulated temporary labor mobility. The discussion also touches on migration policies, brain drain, and the ethical dimensions of human mobility.

Lant Pritchett, distinguished economist and thought leader in development economics, discusses growth diagnostics, limitations of development metrics, and the potential of charter cities for sustainable growth. Topics include the misallocation of talent, challenges in developing countries, the significance of urbanization, the role of institutions, labor mobility, effective philanthropy, and national development.

Lant Pritchett, a renowned development economist from the London School of Economics, joins Tim Phillips to challenge the reliance on rigorous evidence in policy-making. They discuss the limitations of RCTs and the importance of local context in understanding policy impacts, using Indonesia as an example. Pritchett calls for a return to holistic strategies over mere poverty alleviation, while also examining how emerging economies like India and China are reshaping development debates. The conversation highlights the critical balance between economic growth and sustainable development.