“The wealth of nations is no longer stuff in
the ground; the wealth of nations resides in
the human mind, in human creativity.”
– George Weigel

The Fourth Annual Tyburn Lecture, May 2004, “The Free And Virtuous Society:”

There are few messages that are more positive than the message above. It is a concept that has been said in many different ways by many people. Although Saudi Arabia and other oil rich countries are getting a “free ride” at the moment, as have many nations who have built the majority of their wealth from resource extraction, times are changing. The more and more I read and listen to experts’ words on the topic of resource scarcity, the more and more I become convinced that the central solution is productivity out pacing inflation. The solution to productivity has always been breakthrough innovation, and the source of breakthrough innovation has always been the human mind. This applies even in resource extraction.

Other than building strong individual character, the greatest cause that anybody can advocate is this:
Increase the percentage of innovative for-profit entrepreneurs. Why? because this creates a more competitive environment which results in more creative destruction which leads to higher productivity which leads to a higher quality of life for all citizens.

I have thought about whether or not I could make this claim for some time now, and have tried to “break it”, but I have found that the claim is unbreakable.

There is no place more fascinating to visit in a new county than a market, especially markets that sell locally crafted wares. These artisanal goods often require skilled handiwork and substantial amount of time to create. Many global travelers find indigenous crafts beautiful, exciting, and irresistible. It is easy to imagine creating a business to sell such wonderful stuff in more lucrative markets, but as more than one traveler has learned: finding a long-term market in the US or Europe takes the same kind of innovation and management skills as any other business.

That’s why it is so exciting to read how several US designers and photographers, Rwandan women, and Macy’s.com to make these beautiful Rwandan peace baskets available in the US.

The skeptical among us - those who are admittedly not likely to be reading a Posipeople blog - will ask how do we know that this is not a one-hit wonder? How can this be sustained? It is true that anticipating consumers’ fickle tastes does not come naturally, but many artisan businesses have become adept at applying design trends and business practices to their labors.
And organizations such as US-based Aid to Artisans are dedicated to working with artisan groups to strengthen their design and business skills. (Confession: I did some consulting for ATA several years ago. I was so impressed by the organization that I began giving back to them.)

New retailers such as Viva Terra and Novica also respond to (and influence) consumers’ desire for attractive, fairly traded products. Personally, while I would love to visit Rwanda, I am glad to know that I don’t have to go that far to find such lovely baskets.

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About the Author

Bea Bezmalinovic Dhebar is encouraged by the creativity, diversity, diffusion and fusion of ideas taking place among people around the world. She is particularly interested in the ways in which new entrepreneurial ventures - whether led by business, government or non-governmental organizations - can make a difference in our quality of life. Bea has worked extensively on international health and development issues with organizations as varied as Management Sciences for Health, the NetAid Foundation, Harvard Business School, Harvard School of Public Health, Partners in Population and Development, Save the Children, Aid to Artisans, the US Agency for International Development, the Overseas Development Council, and the International Center for Research on Women. She has lived or worked in more than 25 countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Bea received a Masters in Public Policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and recently returned to get an MBA from Babson College. She is fluent in Spanish and has some knowledge of Portuguese and Bengali.