Women, microcredit and capability in rural India

Access full-text files

Date

2001-08

Authors

Evans, Eliza Robinson

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Abstract

When capitalism is good, it is very, very good; when it is bad, it is horrid. To put it another way: There are two totally different styles of capitalism—one life-affirming, the other abusive. We don’t commonly recognize this, but there are two contrasting ways to use neutral tools such as free markets, credit and entrepreneurship. It’s like the difference between love-making and rape. The equipment’s the same, the impact on human life is very different. Consider the idea of extending credit to the poor. One style of doing so is predatory…. [A] busive lenders prey on the unsophisticated, using hidden charges, skyhigh interest rates, confusing paperwork and sleight-of-hand salesmanship…. There’s another way, as humane as the predators are inhumane. It’s called microcredit lending. And it represents all that is best about capitalism, all that is life-affirming and world changing. -Minneapolis Star Tribune, January 27, 1997

Department

Description

text

LCSH Subject Headings

Citation