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

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

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

“The critical changes in trade policy... are politically difficult not because they threaten interests (they don't) but because they do not fit into any of the current slogans and so don't make it onto the agenda.”

“Persuading everyone to behave decently to each other because the society is so fragile is a worthy goal, but it may be more straightforward just to make the societies less fragile, which means developing their economies.”

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

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