Previous Year Question
Who authored the book “The Challenge of World Poverty”?
Amartya Sen
Gunnar Myrdal
Jean Dreze
Adam Smith
Correct Answer: B
Detailed Solution
The Challenge of World Poverty: A World Anti-Poverty Program in Outline was written by the noted Swedish economist and sociologist Gunnar Myrdal. It was published in 1970.
The book provides a broad analysis of problems such as poverty, inequality, unemployment, population growth, land reforms, and economic and social development in developing countries.
It was also intellectually related to Myrdal's extensive study of South Asia, Asian Drama: An Inquiry into the Poverty of Nations. He viewed poverty not merely as a problem of low income but as a broader issue connected with social institutions, inequality, political structures and development policies.
Gunnar Myrdal is also known for analysing the interaction between economic and social processes. One of his important concepts is Circular and Cumulative Causation, according to which economic and social factors can reinforce one another and contribute to a process of development or underdevelopment.
He was also awarded the 1974 Prize in Economic Sciences jointly with Friedrich August von Hayek.