The idea of reducing poverty and inequality and improving health, education, and job opportunities around the world is beyond criticism. Yet, the reality of development can often be confusion, contradiction, deceit, and corruption.

This fully updated third edition makes a major contribution to the ongoing debate about the effectiveness of aid and development. Drawing on a wide range of sources, from international studies to personal stories, Maggie Black brings objective analysis and valuable insights to all the key themes. And she presents a forceful argument for bringing the poor and marginalised into the heart of the process.

Maggie Black is the author of several publications including From Handpumps to Health: The Evolution of Water and Sanitation Programmes in Bangladesh, India and Nigeria and In the Twilight Zone: Child Workers in the Hotel, Tourism and Catering Industry. She has worked as a consultant for UNICEF, Anti-Slavery International, and WaterAid, among others, and has written for The Guardian, The Economist, and BBC World Service.

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