Getting Better: Why Global Development Is Succeeding--And How We Can Improve the World Even More by Charles Kenny Summary

1. Global development succeeds when measured by quality-of-life gains over income
2. Cheap technologies like vaccines drove more progress than wealth redistribution
3. Charles Kenny argues institutional evolution matters more than GDP growth
4. Health and education gains prove pessimism about global progress wrong
5. Foreign aid targeting specific outcomes outperforms generic economic growth strategies
6. Political rights diffusion created measurable life improvements across nations
7. "Process technologies" like governance systems enable sustained development breakthroughs
8. Historical data shows unprecedented global access to basic human needs
9. Targeted philanthropy beats traditional aid in accelerating quality-of-life metrics
10. Subjective well-being measures reveal hidden success stories in developing nations
11. Kenny’s evidence challenges "poor-get-poorer" narratives with health trend data
12. Multi-sector approach to development outpaces single economic solution models

About the Author

Charles Kenny is the acclaimed author of Getting Better: Why Global Development is Succeeding and How We Can Improve the World Even More and a leading expert in global development economics.

With a career spanning over 15 years as an economist at the World Bank and current senior fellow at the Center for Global Development, Kenny combines academic rigor with real-world policy insights to explore themes of human progress, poverty reduction, and innovative solutions for global challenges. His work has been featured in Foreign Policy, The Atlantic, and The Wall Street Journal, with regular appearances on NPR, BBC, and Bloomberg TV.

Kenny’s other influential books include The Plague Cycle: The Unending War Between Humanity and Infectious Disease, which examines historical pandemics and modern health crises, and The Upside of Down: Why the Rise of the Rest is Good for the West, analyzing global economic shifts. A Cambridge University and Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies graduate, his research on development economics and happiness has been widely cited in academic and policy circles. Getting Better remains essential reading for professionals and students seeking data-driven optimism about humanity’s capacity for progress.

FAQs About This Book

What is Getting Better by Charles Kenny about?

Getting Better argues that global quality of life has significantly improved through advancements in health, education, and reduced violence, even as income inequality persists. Charles Kenny uses data to show progress in life expectancy, literacy, and peace, challenging perceptions of global decline by emphasizing non-monetary well-being metrics.

Who should read Getting Better?

This book is ideal for readers interested in global development, economics, or data-driven optimism. Policymakers, students, and advocates of international aid will benefit from its analysis of how targeted programs in health and education drive progress despite economic disparities.

Is Getting Better worth reading?

Yes—it offers a compelling, evidence-based counter-narrative to pessimism about global development. The book combines historical context, actionable solutions, and accessible data to demonstrate how quality-of-life metrics have surged worldwide.

What are the main arguments in Getting Better?

Kenny asserts that focusing on income gaps overlooks strides in health, education, and safety. He highlights falling poverty rates, rising literacy, and longer lifespans as evidence of progress, arguing that development programs should prioritize these areas alongside economic growth.

How does Charles Kenny measure global development?

Unlike traditional GDP-centric approaches, Kenny evaluates progress through life expectancy, child mortality, literacy, and access to healthcare. These indicators reveal broad improvements even in nations with stagnant incomes.

What solutions does Getting Better propose for global challenges?

The book advocates funding public health initiatives, expanding educational access, promoting gender equality, and increasing international aid. Kenny emphasizes cost-effective interventions like vaccination campaigns and school-building projects.

What criticisms exist about Getting Better?

Some argue Kenny underestimates systemic economic inequality and overstates the sustainability of non-monetary progress. Critics also note challenges in data interpretation and the risk of complacency toward poverty.

How does Getting Better compare to other global development books?

Unlike works focused on poverty traps (e.g., Poor Economics), Kenny’s book highlights underreported successes in quality of life, offering a more optimistic, holistic view of development.

What notable quotes or ideas appear in Getting Better?

A key quote states: “Humanity has never been in better shape – and despite growing sustainability challenges, the future should be even brighter.” This encapsulates the book’s thesis that data-driven optimism can guide effective policymaking.

How does Getting Better address global inequality?

While acknowledging income gaps, Kenny shows how low-cost innovations (e.g., vaccines, mobile phones) have narrowed disparities in health and communication access, improving lives irrespective of wealth.

What actionable advice does Getting Better offer readers?

Kenny urges readers to support international aid organizations and reassess personal spending priorities. He also advocates reframing global issues through a historical lens to recognize progress.

How does Getting Better use data to challenge common misconceptions?

By analyzing trends over decades, Kenny debunks myths of universal decline, showing how media bias toward negative news obscures measurable gains in health, education, and conflict reduction.