Paul Collier

Politicians would only move beyond gestures once there was a critical mass of informed citizens.

— Paul Collier

Change in the societies at the very bottom must come predominantly from within; we cannot impose it on them.

— Paul Collier

At the core of all successful societies are procedures for blocking the advancement of bad men

— Paul Collier

“Pressure works, but it needs to be organized. This is the domain of the NGOs and the rock stars.”

— Paul Collier

Migration has been politicized before it has been analyzed.

— Paul Collier

“Electorates tend to get the politicians they deserve.”

— Paul Collier

“Rebels usually have something to complain about, and if they don't they make it up. All too often the really disadvantaged are…

— Paul Collier

“The critical changes in trade policy... are politically difficult not because they threaten interests (they don't) but because they do not fit…

— Paul Collier

Most conduct is guided by norms rather than by laws. Norms are voluntary and are effective because they are enforced by peer…

— Paul Collier

How do we give credible hope to the billion poorest people in the world? It requires compassion to get ourselves started, and…

— Paul Collier

There is a simple way of avoiding excess risk-taking by the managers of our financial institutions. It is to make it a…

— Paul Collier

“Launching a turnaround takes courage. I cannot measure that and so it is not going to be included in my analysis, but…

— Paul Collier

“Persuading everyone to behave decently to each other because the society is so fragile is a worthy goal, but it may be…

— Paul Collier

“And so a miserable but possible scenario is that countries in the bottom billion oscillate between the traps and limbo, perhaps switching…

— Paul Collier

Poverty is not intrinsically a trap, otherwise we would all still be poor.

— Paul Collier

Elections determine who is in power, but they do not determine how power is used.

— Paul Collier

You are a citizen, and citizenship carries responsibilities.

— Paul Collier

“Not all developing countries are the same.”

— Paul Collier

Eddie Robinson is about one word: winning and losing.

— Paul Collier

“The key obstacle to reforming aid is public opinion.. Public opinion drives them into the "I care" photo opportunities that dominate aid.”

— Paul Collier

“The aid agencies are not run by fools. they are full of intelligent people severely constrained by what public opinion permits.”

— Paul Collier

Without an informed electorate, politicians will continue to use the bottom billion merely for photo opportunities, rather than promoting real transformation.

— Paul Collier

You can tell everybody that Eddie Robinson's out looking for a job right now, and believe me, he's a great kid. He's…

— Paul Collier

“Suppose a country starts its independence with the three economic characteristics that globally make a country prone to civil war: low income,…

— Paul Collier