Bruce Rich

Bruce Rich isan author and lawyer who has worked with major US environmental groups as wellas with international organizations over the past three and a half decades. Hereceived the United Nations Global 500 Award for environmental achievement forhis research and advocacy concerning multilateral development banks. He is theauthor of Mortgaging the Earth, awidely acclaimed critique of the World Bank and reflection on the philosophicaland historical evolution of the project of economic development, as well as Foreclosing the Future, which examinesthe World Bank, climate change, governance and corruption.

Rich haswritten for publications such as the FinancialTimes, the Ecologist, and the Nation, as well as for EnvironmentalForum, the policy journal of the Washington DC Environmental Law Institute,where he is currently a Visiting Scholar. His analysis of Ashoka was selectedand published in 2012 in a collection of the best Buddhist writing in Americafor that year.

Hisprofessional focus on finance and ethics, as well as numerous visits to SouthAsia, inspired this book.