Confronting Microfinance: Undermining Sustainable DevelopmentMilford Bateman Kumarian Press, 2011 - 274 pages Despite the popularity of microfinance, it is a field that remains remarkably under-theorized. Most evaluations carried out by international development agencies, academics, and independent researchers focus on tweaking what they see as an already beneficial system. Rarely are the very foundations of microfinance brought into question. Instead, their studies presuppose impact without evidence, ignore potentially important issues, and utilize faulty evaluation methodologies. Bateman and contributors provide critical perspectives on microfinance that reach beyond the desire for technical perfection held dear by almost all microfinance institutions. Confronting Microfinance charts actual economic and social impacts registered in southeastern Europe to date, both in the context of postcommunist transition and post-conflict reconstruction. It examines key crosscutting issues, providing a more holistic and comprehensive approach to microfinance. One of the few books available that provide a robust critique of microfinance, Confronting Microfinance is sure to fire up the debate on this popular poverty-fighting measure. -- Publisher description. |
Contents
1 | |
Challenging the Conventional Wisdom | 23 |
The Experience of Medellín Colombia | 25 |
Resolution or Extension of Poverty? | 49 |
Entrepreneurialism May Not Be a Universal Norm | 65 |
5 Undermining the Chances of Sustainable Development in India with Microfinance | 83 |
PART 2 Southeastern Europe Experience | 97 |
6 Impact of Microfinance in Croatia | 99 |
8 Microfinance in Macedonia | 153 |
What Has Really Been Achieved for the Poor? | 175 |
A Critical View | 207 |
PART 3 Conclusion | 229 |
11 The End of Microfinance? | 231 |
References | 239 |
Contributors | 255 |
261 | |
Common terms and phrases
activities agricultural Andhra Pradesh Bangladesh Bank’s borrowers Bosnia and Herzegovina capital clients Colombia commercial banks Compartamos competition Croatia dairy DEMOS effectively employment empowerment enterprises entrepreneurs established Europe example failure Finantial Bureau funds gender global Grameen Bank growth Ha-Joon Chang impact of microfinance important income India indigenous individuals informal sector initial institutions interest rates international development community international donor investment Latin America lending loans major Medellín ment MFIs micro microenterprise sector microenterprises microfinance industry microfinance model microfinance programs microfinance sector microlending microloan MikroPlus Milford Bateman MSME Muhammad Yunus neoliberal operations poor potential poverty reduction problem production profits promote region repay Report Republic of Macedonia result Rural Bangladesh Sarajevo self-employment simple Skopje SME sector solidarity circle studies survey sustainable three MFIs units University Washington DC Women and Microcredit World Bank Yugoslav Yunus