With its idealistic title, this book seems like a prime candidate for knee-jerk dismissal. But consider the author's credentials: Economist Muhammad Yunus is the winner of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize and the founder of the highly successful Grameem Bank, which specializes in making loans to the poor. Creating a World Without Poverty outlines a new business model that utilizes the power of free markets to truly unleash human potential.

The influential economist and winner of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize outlines his vision for a new business model that combines the power of of free markets with the quest for a more humane world. Includes stories of companies that are already doing social business.

(I)n Creating A World Without Poverty, Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus argues convincingly that social business is an achievable way of exploiting capitalism to help the poor. Yunus moves the debate beyond the tired argument that the rich should simply donate to those less privileged, and demonstrates that the free market can in fact be used to the advantage of the less well off…This book is a must-read for policymakers or philanthropists, and its conversational style and straightforward logic also make it appealing to the layperson.

an inspiring volume, full of practical information for people who are motivated to try out his ideas.

In this excellent work of popular economics, he tells the story of how he came to the idea and the impressive results it has generated.

Economics professor Yunus claims he "originally became involved in the poverty issue not as a policy-maker, scholar, or researcher, but because poverty was all around me." With these words he stopped teaching "elegant theories" and began lending small amounts of money, $40 or less, without collateral, to the poorest women in the world. Thirty-three years later, the Grameen Bank has helped seven million people live better lives building businesses to serve the poor. The bank is solidly profitable, with a 98.6% repayment rate. It inspired the micro-credit movement, which has helped 100 million of the poorest people in the world escape poverty and earned Yunus (Banker to the Poor) a Nobel Peace prize. This volume efficiently recounts the story of microcredit, then discusses "Social Business," organizations designed to help people while turning profits. French food giant Danone's partnership to market yogurt in Bangladesh is described in detail, along with 25 other businesses that operate under the Grameen banner. Infused with entrepreneurial spirit and the excitement of a worthy challenge, this book is the opposite of pessimistic recitals of intractable poverty's horrors. (Jan.)