David Roodman's Microfinance Open Book Blog
Posts in: 3. Credit History
March 9, 2009
Chapter 3 Main Post: Credit History
Posted by David Roodman in 3. Credit History Tags: drafts, history
Microfinance is a modern phenomenon, right? Maybe thirty years old?
Wrong.
When what is now chapter 3 (.doc .pdf) was but a twinkle in my eye, I thought it would be just a few paragraphs near the top of what is now chapter 4. But as I delved into its subject–the long history of projects to bring financial services to poor people–the terrain expanded before me and drew me in. I do believe this is the fullest review of that history, but it is superficial relative to the richness of its subject. Someone should write a book on this topic.
From the intro of chapter 3:
To the extent that microfinance is older than most enthusiasts and practitioners think it is, that begs the question of what lessons from history are being missed. What are the constants of history? What are the variables? How do economic and cultural characteristics of a country, such as wealth and tightness of community bonds, determine which methods succeed? And since history never repeats itself exactly, how does modern microfinance break from the past? What have today’s innovators contributed to the long historical flow of ideas? Those questions motivate this excursion into history.
March 7, 2009
Illuminating Microfinance’s Past: A Bibliography
Posted by David Roodman in 3. Credit History Tags: history
Herewith, a bibliography of materials that illuminate microfinance’s past. Feel free to send me additions. I suppose this should be made into a wiki page somewhere.
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