The authors challenge the assumption that we can bring about economic development and promote liberal democracies through direct foreign intervention - whether economic or military intervention. The lead author, William Easterly, drawing on his wide experience at the World Bank and as an academic, is a renowned sceptic of intervention.

William Easterly is Professor of Economics at New York University and Co-Director of the New York University Development Research Institute, which works to bring high-quality economic research to the problems of world poverty. He has previously worked for the World Bank, the Institute for International Economics and the Centre for Global Development. Professor Easterly has been listed by various magazines as one of the world's most highly cited researchers, as one of the top 100 global intellectuals and as one of the top 100 scientist stars of Twitter. He has written a number of books about foreign aid and its effect on developing countries. His most recent book, The Tyranny of Experts, was a finalist for the Manhattan Institute's Hayek Award (which he previously won in 2008 for his book The White Man's Burden).