Education and World Development in 1900-1999 : A General View and Challenges for the Near Future

This paper presents a comparison of exponential rates of growth in America, Europe, Africa and Asia-Pacific during the 20th century, and analyzes the main causes that explain the important differences in Gross Domestic Product per inhabitant among these large areas. The paper emphasizes the convenience of fostering international cooperation, from now onwards, in order to increase expenditure per inhabitant on education in the poor countries, as this condition is really needed for achieving a path of sustained economic development and for reaching success in an effective fight against poverty