An informed and widely acclaimed critique of the World Bank and its destructive impact on the environment, as well as a questioning of the underlying assumptions and goals of economic development. "A hard-hitting and authoritative work, useful and provocative." —Christian Science Monitor "A detailed and thought-provoking look at an important subject from the viewpoint of a passionate advocate." —New York Times Book Review "You don't have to be a card-carrying green to benefit from this chronicle of how the World Bank became a powerful force for the destruction of the natural environment." —Boston Globe "This badly needed analysis exposes the destructive alliance between the bank and national governments that, in the name of progress, has plundered natural resources and impoverished millions ... [Rich's] merciless evaluation should help provoke an overdue debate about the bank's future." —Business Week "Rich . . . is right in his criticism of the bank s lending practices on many counts." —Financial Times, London "A lively synthesis of previously unseen Bank documents, human rights reports, journal articles, economic history, and interviews with former and current Bank staffers." —Village Voice Literary Supplement