Hardly a day passes when newspaper headlines or media commentators don't scream warnings of impending doom - shortages of arable land, clashes over water, and political Armageddon as global demand for fossil fuels far outstrips supply. The picture painted is bleak, and shortages in the commodities markets have the potential to dramatically affect the way we live. Only one country appears to understand the importance of controlling these crucial assets - China.

The book offers a bold account of the decline of the economic supremacy of the West over the past 50 years. In particular, Dambisa Moyo examines how America's flawed decisions and blinkered policy choices around Capital, Labour and Technology - key ingredients for economic growth and success- have resulted in an economic and geo-political seesaw that is now poised to tip in favour of the emerging world.

In the past fifty years, more than $1 trillion in development-related aid has been transferred from rich countries to Africa. Has this assistance improved the lives of Africans? No. In fact, across the continent, the recipients of this aid are not better off as a result of it, but worse—much worse. Dead Aid offers proposals for developing countries to finance development, instead of relying on foreign aid.