OPENING ADDRESS
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a circumstance of coterminous expression of billions of different individual thoughts about the same thing, equal in number to all living human beings. At a certain level, especially within the context of an extreme solipsistic view, this is, of course, a logical possibility, but practically, within the objective world of social existence, it constitutes an impossible proposition. Nevertheless, it offers to all of us gathered here the possibility of advancing an entirely theoretical paradigm: that we have no intellectual obligation to take any position on any of the important matters on the agenda of the conference because there are as many preferences as there are people, and therefore, there is no logical possibility of making any rational policy proposals as a conference. The immediate reality, however, is that all of us, whatever our social circumstances, know that the poor are knocking at the gate. If this gate does not open because we who have the key are involved in the challenging effort to consider the meaning and implications of social choice theory, among other intellectual pursuits, the masses will break down the gate. They will do this to challenge us to join them practically to answer the question: what should be done to give effect to the human dignity that is due to those whom the modern social order, in all countries, does indeed define as the wretched of the earth? I believe that is the fundamental question this Annual Bank Conference on Development Economics must strive to answer. I wish you success in your deliberations, and I formally declare this important conference open. Thank you very much.
Notes 1. Jan-Peter Olters, “On the Agenda: Inclusive Globalization.” World Bank News and Broadcast. http://go.worldbank.org/6OX5CZ3RN0. Originally published in Monitor (19 [911]: 32–33) April 4, 2008 as “Tema dana: globalizacija na korist svih.” 2. Thandika Mkandawire, “The Need to Rethink Development Economics.” Draft paper prepared for discussion at the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD) meeting on “The Need to Rethink Development Economics,” September 7–8, 2001, Cape Town, South Africa. http://www.unrisd.org/80256B3C005BCCF9/ (httpPublications)/CE9095BA4A739828C1256BC90047D402?OpenDocument. 3. Amartya Sen, “The Possibility of Social Choice.” Nobel lecture, December 8, 1998. http:// nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/economics/laureates/1998/sen-lecture.pdf.