Michael S. Chase writes about the prospects for reform in China Seth G. Dones describes the nature of the transatlantic divide more

Toward Universal Education Easy access to quality education would bring developing countries everything from higher wages to lower infant mortality-but it would also require politically costly reforms A global compact on education is needed to overcome the problem

The World Bank's Mission Creep Critics regularly fault the World Bank for overlooking issues such as the environment the role of civil society as it pursues its development agenda. In fact, the bank has been adding tasks to its mandate for years from Balkan reconstruction to education for girls in Muslim countries to the fight against AIDS. Its mission has now grown so complex that it has become unwieldy. To make the bank more effective the countries that own it-its shareholders-must streamline its many functions even devolve certain tasks to other institutions. The bank remains a great organization with a talented staff a compassionate vision but it must be prepared to move back to basics then on to the modern era