Assignment 10

This chapter presents a series of arguments surrounding the concept of microcredit. Statistically speaking, and in comparison with the other chapters, this one seemed to be a bit of a wash. The first statistic that the reader is presented with is one that highlights the difficulties the poor face when it comes to lending.. The statistic itself deals with the interest rate in real terms as evidence that the poor on average overpay for loans. The best thing the authors do recently in the book (which happens with this statistic, which is why I am mentioning it only and not the several others presented throughout the chapter) is how the authors bring the reader back to understand what the statistic is saying and the meaning of the statistic. In terms of the interest rate statistic, the author's provide us a little idea of what it would be like to be poor and borrowing from (potentially shady) alternative sources of credit. Using American dollars (and therefore values that the reader can compare, it can quickly be seen how fast the interest on these loans blows up and become un-affordable.
As usual with these authors, statistics is presented i a certain way. First, a topic is semi-introduced (even if it is only a minor issue in the chapter) an engrossing statistic is used either to upset the reader or will be referenced again because the statistic is wrong.