The World Bank: Toward a Global Club

Publication Info

Publication Type

• Essays

Download

• Download (PDF, 148 KB)

Initiative

• The Future of the World Bank

Research Topics

• International Financial Institutions

CGD Expert

• Nancy Birdsall

Opinions

• Do we still need a World Bank?
• World Bank Corruption Strategy: An Impolitic View
• De Tray calls for patience, balance in World Bank battle against corruption
• Controversy over World Bank trade & poverty estimates
• Poverty and the Social Sectors: The World Bank in Pakistan 1990-2003
• A new World Bank president. A new bank mission? [Chicago Tribune]

Articles

• CGD Survey Finds Strong Support for Reform of World Bank President Selection Process
• Online Survey: Choosing the Next World Bank President

Rights and Permissions

We welcome the use of CGD work-just let us know in advance! For contact information see our Rights & Permissions page. CGD rights and permissions are managed under the terms of the Creative Commons license below.

Nancy Birdsall

05/22/2007

In this essay, CGD President Nancy Birdsall describes the World Bank as a global club with a structure close to that of a credit union in which the members are nations. Its mission, as originally conceived–-to promote broadly shared and sustainable global prosperity--serves the common interests of all its country members.

In light of this Birdsall addresses the issues that arise with respect to its current governance structure and how these issues affect the Bank's legitimacy, effectiveness and relevance in the global system.