Light in the tunnel

摘要

AT LUNCHTIME IN Mombasa, Kenya's humid port city, groups of men gather in the shade for the day's bunge la mwananchi (people's parliament), where they debate the latest news and politics. Everyone takes his turn to discuss whether the local governor is any good, or whether a group of men arrested on charges of drug-smuggling should be extradited to America. Then the debate turns to economics. "Why should we export all of our tea to Britain?" asks one man. "It is because of the law of comparative advantage," retorts another. "How will Kenya ever be able to catch up with the rich countries in Europe and America?" To this, nobody has an answer.