Second Life

(Guardian photo)

Bill and Melinda Gates predict that by 2035 "there will be almost no poor countries left in the world." [bold added]

a few unhappy countries will be held back by war, political realities (such as North Korea) or geography (such as landlocked states in central Africa). But every country in South America, Asia and Central America (except perhaps Haiti) and most in coastal Africa will have become middle-income nations. More than 70% of countries will have a higher per-person income than China does today.

If prosperity does become universal within a couple of decades, the 21st century will mark perhaps the greatest turning point in human history. And if his charitable works in no small part help to bring about that result, Bill Gates may well be known to future historians as a philanthropist who used to run a computer business. © 2014 Stephen Yuen