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Dambisa Moyo: Economic growth has stalled. Let's fix it
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Economic growth is the defining challenge of our time; without it, political and social instability rises, human progress stagnates and societies grow dimmer. But, says economist Dambisa Moyo, dogmatic capitalism isn't creating the growth we need. As she shows, in both state-sponsored and market-driven models, capitalism is failing to solve social ills, fostering corruption and creating income inequality. Moyo surveys the current economic landscape and suggests that we have to start thinking about capitalism as a spectrum so we can blend the best of different models together to foster growth.
Dambisa Moyo - Global economist
Dambisa Moyo is an international economist who analyzes the macroeconomy and global affairs. Full bio
Dambisa Moyo is an international economist who analyzes the macroeconomy and global affairs. Full bio
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00:13
Our ability to create
and sustain economic growth
and sustain economic growth
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is the defining challenge of our time.
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Of course there are other challenges --
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health care, disease burdens
and pandemics,
and pandemics,
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environmental challenges
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and, of course, radicalized terrorism.
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However,
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to the extent that we can actually
solve the economic growth challenge,
solve the economic growth challenge,
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it will take us a long way
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to solving the challenges
that I've just elucidated.
that I've just elucidated.
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More importantly,
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unless and until we solve economic growth
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and create sustainable,
long-term economic growth,
long-term economic growth,
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we'll be unable to address
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the seemingly intractable challenges
that continue to pervade the globe today,
that continue to pervade the globe today,
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whether it's health care,
education or economic development.
education or economic development.
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The fundamental question is this:
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How are we going to create economic growth
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in advanced and developed economies
like the United States and across Europe
like the United States and across Europe
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at a time when they continue to struggle
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to create economic growth
after the financial crisis?
after the financial crisis?
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They continue to underperform
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and to see an erosion in the three
key drivers of economic growth:
key drivers of economic growth:
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capital, labor and productivity.
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In particular,
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these developed economies
continue to see debts and deficits,
continue to see debts and deficits,
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the decline and erosion
of both the quality and quantity of labor
of both the quality and quantity of labor
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and they also see productivity stalling.
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In a similar vein,
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how are we going to create
economic growth in the emerging markets,
economic growth in the emerging markets,
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where 90 percent
of the world's population lives
of the world's population lives
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and where, on average,
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70 percent of the population
is under the age of 25?
is under the age of 25?
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In these countries,
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it is essential that they grow
at a minimum of seven percent a year
at a minimum of seven percent a year
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in order to put a dent in poverty
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and to double per capita incomes
in one generation.
in one generation.
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And yet today,
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the largest emerging economies --
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countries with at least
50 million people --
50 million people --
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continue to struggle to reach
that seven percent magic mark.
that seven percent magic mark.
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Worse than that,
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countries like India, Russia,
South Africa, Brazil and even China
South Africa, Brazil and even China
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are falling below
that seven percent number
that seven percent number
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and, in many cases, actually regressing.
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Economic growth matters.
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With economic growth,
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countries and societies
enter into a virtuous cycle
enter into a virtuous cycle
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of upward mobility, opportunity
and improved living standards.
and improved living standards.
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Without growth,
countries contract and atrophy,
countries contract and atrophy,
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not just in the annals
of economic statistics
of economic statistics
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but also in the meaning of life
and how lives are lived.
and how lives are lived.
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Economic growth matters
powerfully for the individual.
powerfully for the individual.
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If growth wanes,
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the risk to human progress
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and the risk of political
and social instability rises,
and social instability rises,
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and societies become dimmer,
coarser and smaller.
coarser and smaller.
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The context matters.
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And countries in emerging markets
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do not need to grow at the same
rates as developed countries.
rates as developed countries.
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Now, I know some of you in this room
find this to be a risky proposition.
find this to be a risky proposition.
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There are some people here
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who will turn around
and be quite disillusioned
and be quite disillusioned
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by what's happened around the world
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and basically ascribe that
to economic growth.
to economic growth.
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You worry about the
overpopulation of the planet.
overpopulation of the planet.
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And looking at the UN's
recent statistics and projections
recent statistics and projections
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that the world will have
11 billion people on the planet
11 billion people on the planet
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before it plateaus in 2100,
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you're concerned about what that does
to natural resources --
to natural resources --
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arable land, potable water,
energy and minerals.
energy and minerals.
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You are also concerned about
the degradation of the environment.
the degradation of the environment.
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And you worry about how man,
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embodied in the corporate globalist,
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has become greedy and corrupt.
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But I'm here to tell you today
that economic growth
that economic growth
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has been the backbone
of changes in living standards
of changes in living standards
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of millions of people around the world.
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And more importantly,
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it's not just economic growth
that has been driven by capitalism.
that has been driven by capitalism.
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The definition of capitalism,
very simply put,
very simply put,
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is that the factors of production,
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such as trade and industry,
capital and labor,
capital and labor,
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are left in the hands
of the private sector and not the state.
of the private sector and not the state.
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It's really essential here
that we understand
that we understand
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that fundamentally the critique
is not for economic growth per se
is not for economic growth per se
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but what has happened to capitalism.
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And to the extent that we need to create
economic growth over the long term,
economic growth over the long term,
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we're going to have to pursue it
with a better form of economic stance.
with a better form of economic stance.
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Economic growth needs capitalism,
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but it needs it to work properly.
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And as I mentioned a moment ago,
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the core of the capitalist system
has been defined by private actors.
has been defined by private actors.
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And even this, however,
is a very simplistic dichotomy.
is a very simplistic dichotomy.
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Capitalism: good; non-capitalism: bad.
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When in practical experience,
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capitalism is much more of a spectrum.
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And we have countries such as China,
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which have practiced
more state capitalism,
more state capitalism,
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and we have countries
like the Unites States
like the Unites States
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which are more market capitalist.
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Our efforts to critique
the capitalist system, however,
the capitalist system, however,
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have tended to focus
on countries like China
on countries like China
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that are in fact
not blatantly market capitalism.
not blatantly market capitalism.
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However, there is
a real reason and real concern
a real reason and real concern
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for us to now focus our attentions
on purer forms of capitalism,
on purer forms of capitalism,
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particularly those embodied
by the United States.
by the United States.
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This is really important
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because this type of capitalism
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has increasingly
been afforded the critique
been afforded the critique
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that it is now fostering corruption
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and, worse still,
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it's increasing income inequality --
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the idea that the few are benefiting
at the expense of the many.
at the expense of the many.
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The two really critical questions
that we need to address
that we need to address
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is how can we fix capitalism
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so that it can help create economic growth
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but at the same time
can help to address social ills.
can help to address social ills.
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In order to think about that framing,
we have to ask ourselves,
we have to ask ourselves,
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how does capitalism work today?
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Very simplistically,
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capitalism is set on the basis
of an individual utility maximizer --
of an individual utility maximizer --
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a selfish individual
who goes after what he or she wants.
who goes after what he or she wants.
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And only after they've
maximized their utility
maximized their utility
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do they then decide it's important
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to provide support
to other social contracts.
to other social contracts.
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Of course, in this system
governments do tax,
governments do tax,
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and they use part of their revenues
to fund social programs,
to fund social programs,
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recognizing that government's role
is not just regulation
is not just regulation
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but also to be arbiter of social goods.
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But nevertheless,
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this framework --
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this two-stage framework --
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is the basis from which we must now start
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to think about how we can
improve the capitalist model.
improve the capitalist model.
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I would argue that there are
two sides to this challenge.
two sides to this challenge.
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First of all,
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we can draw on the right-wing policies
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to see what could be beneficial for us
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to think about how
we can improve capitalism.
we can improve capitalism.
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In particular,
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right-leaning policies
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have tended to focus on things
like conditional transfers,
like conditional transfers,
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where we pay and reward people
for doing the things
for doing the things
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that we actually think
can help enhance economic growth.
can help enhance economic growth.
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For example,
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sending children to school,
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parents could earn money for that,
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or getting their children
inoculated or immunized,
inoculated or immunized,
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parents could get paid for doing that.
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Now, quite apart from the debate
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on whether or not
we should be paying people
we should be paying people
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to do what we think they should do anyway,
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the fact of the matter
is that pay for performance
is that pay for performance
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has actually yielded some positive results
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in places like Mexico,
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in Brazil
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and also in pilot programs in New York.
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But there are also benefits
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and significant changes underway
on left-leaning policies.
on left-leaning policies.
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Arguments that government should
expand its role and responsibility
expand its role and responsibility
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so that it's not so narrowly defined
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and that government should be
much more of an arbiter
much more of an arbiter
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of the factors of production
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have become commonplace
with the success of China.
with the success of China.
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But also we've started to have debates
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about how the role of the private sector
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should move away
from just being a profit motive
from just being a profit motive
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and really be more engaged
in the delivery of social programs.
in the delivery of social programs.
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Things like the corporate
social responsibility programs,
social responsibility programs,
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albeit small in scale,
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are moving in that right direction.
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Of course, left-leaning policies
have also tended to blur the lines
have also tended to blur the lines
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between government,
NGOs and private sector.
NGOs and private sector.
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Two very good examples of this
are the 19th-century United States,
are the 19th-century United States,
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when the infrastructure rollout
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was really about
public-private partnerships.
public-private partnerships.
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More recently, of course,
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the advent of the Internet
has also proven to the world
has also proven to the world
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that public and private can work together
for the betterment of society.
for the betterment of society.
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My fundamental message to you is this:
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We cannot continue to try and solve
the world economic growth challenges
the world economic growth challenges
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by being dogmatic
and being unnecessarily ideological.
and being unnecessarily ideological.
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In order to create sustainable,
long-term economic growth
long-term economic growth
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and solve the challenges and social ills
that continue to plague the world today,
that continue to plague the world today,
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we're going to have to be
more broad-minded
more broad-minded
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about what might work.
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Ultimately,
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we have to recognize
that ideology is the enemy of growth.
that ideology is the enemy of growth.
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Thank you.
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(Applause)
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Bruno Giussani: I want to ask
a couple of questions, Dambisa,
a couple of questions, Dambisa,
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because one could react
to your last sentence
to your last sentence
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by saying growth is also an ideology,
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it's possibly the dominant
ideology of our times.
ideology of our times.
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What do you say
to those who react that way?
to those who react that way?
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DM: Well, I think that that's
completely legitimate,
completely legitimate,
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and I think that we're already
having that discussion.
having that discussion.
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There's a lot of work
going on around happiness
going on around happiness
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and other metrics being used
for measuring people's success
for measuring people's success
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and improvements in living standards.
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And so I think that we should be open
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to what could deliver improvements
in people's living standards
in people's living standards
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and continue to reduce
poverty around the world.
poverty around the world.
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BG: So you're basically pleading
for rehabilitating growth,
for rehabilitating growth,
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but the only way for that happen
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without compromising
the capacity of the earth,
the capacity of the earth,
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to take us on a long journey,
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is for economic growth
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somehow to decouple
from the underlying use of resources.
from the underlying use of resources.
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Do you see that happening?
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DM: Well, I think that I'm more optimistic
about human ability and ingenuity.
about human ability and ingenuity.
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I think if we start to constrain ourselves
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using the finite, scarce
and depleting resources
and depleting resources
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that we know today,
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we could get quite negative
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and quite concerned
about the way the world is.
about the way the world is.
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However, we've seen the Club of Rome,
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we've seen previous claims
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that the world would be
running out of resources,
running out of resources,
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and it's not to argue
that those things are not valid.
that those things are not valid.
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But I think, with ingenuity
we could see desalination,
we could see desalination,
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I think we could reinvest in energy,
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so that we can actually
get better outcomes.
get better outcomes.
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And so in that sense,
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I'm much more optimistic
about what humans can do.
about what humans can do.
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11:35
BG: The thing that strikes me
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about your proposals
for rehabilitating growth
for rehabilitating growth
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and taking a different direction
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is that you're kind of suggesting
to fix capitalism with more capitalism --
to fix capitalism with more capitalism --
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with putting a price tag
on good behavior as incentive
on good behavior as incentive
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or developing a bigger role
for business in social issues.
for business in social issues.
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Is that what you're suggesting?
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DM: I'm suggesting
we have to be open-minded.
we have to be open-minded.
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I think it is absolutely the case
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that traditional models of economic growth
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are not working the way
we would like them to.
we would like them to.
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And I think it's no accident
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that today the largest
economy in the world, the United States,
economy in the world, the United States,
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has democracy,
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liberal democracy,
as it's core political stance
as it's core political stance
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and it has free market capitalism --
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to the extent that it is free --
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free market capitalism
as its economic stance.
as its economic stance.
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The second largest economy is China.
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It has deprioritized democracy
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and it has state capitalism,
which is a completely different model.
which is a completely different model.
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These two countries,
completely different political models
completely different political models
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and completely different economic models,
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and yet they have the same
income inequality number
income inequality number
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measured as a Gini coefficient.
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I think those are the debates
we should have,
we should have,
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because it's not clear at all
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what model we should be adopting,
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and I think there needs to be
much more discourse
much more discourse
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and much more humility
about what we know and what we don't know.
about what we know and what we don't know.
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BG: One last question.
The COP21 is going on in Paris.
The COP21 is going on in Paris.
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If you could send a tweet
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to all the heads of state
and heads of delegations there,
and heads of delegations there,
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what would you say?
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DM: Again, I would be very much
about being open-minded.
about being open-minded.
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As you're aware,
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the issues around
the environmental concerns
the environmental concerns
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have been on the agenda many times now --
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in Copenhagen,
'72 in Stockholm --
'72 in Stockholm --
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and we keep revisiting these issues
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partly because there is not
a fundamental agreement,
a fundamental agreement,
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in fact there's a schism
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between what the developed
countries believe and want
countries believe and want
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and what emerging market countries want.
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Emerging market countries need
to continue to create economic growth
to continue to create economic growth
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so that we don't have political
uncertainty in the those countries.
uncertainty in the those countries.
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Developed countries recognize
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that they have a real,
important responsibility
important responsibility
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not only just to manage
their CO2 emissions
their CO2 emissions
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and some of the degradation
that they're contributing to the world,
that they're contributing to the world,
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but also as trendsetters in R&D.
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And so they have to come
to the table as well.
to the table as well.
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But in essence, it cannot be a situation
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where we start ascribing policies
to the emerging markets
to the emerging markets
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without developed countries themselves
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also taking quite a swipe
at what they're doing
at what they're doing
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both in demand and supply
in developed markets.
in developed markets.
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BG: Dambisa, thank you for coming to TED.
DM: Thank you very much.
DM: Thank you very much.
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(Applause)
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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Dambisa Moyo - Global economistDambisa Moyo is an international economist who analyzes the macroeconomy and global affairs.
Why you should listen
Dambisa Moyo's work examines the interplay between rapidly developing countries, international business, and the global economy -- while highlighting opportunities for investment. She has travelled to more than 60 countries over the past decade, studying the political, economic and financial workings of emerging economies, in particular the BRICs and the frontier economies in Asia, South America, Africa and the Middle East. Her latest book, Winner Take All: China’s Race for Resources and What It Means for the World, looks at how commodities markets influence much more than the global economy -- and examines the possible consequences of China's unprecedented rush for commodities such as oil, minerals, water, and food, including the looming specter of commodity-driven conflict.
She is the author of the brilliantly argued Dead Aid: Why Aid Is Not Working and How There Is a Better Way for Africa and How the West Was Lost: Fifty Years of Economic Folly and the Stark Choices Ahead. Previously, she was an economist at Goldman Sachs, where she worked for nearly a decade, and was a consultant to the World Bank in Washington.
Dambisa Moyo | Speaker | TED.com