I recall, and this will show my age, images of Indian and African famines from John Cravens Newsround, Do They Know Its Christmas and Freddie Mercury doing his stuff at the original Live Aid concert. It seemed in those days that one of the automatic, albeit delayed, consequences of famines was an outpouring of celebrity emotion which galvanised the public to part with their money.
As my deadline for this review drew nearer, I asked myself why Id volunteered to read a book in microinsurance. Is it because Id recently been corresponding with Amos Kirigwi, editor of the Actuarial Students Society of Kenyas magazine? Is it because Ive recently set up an innovation team in the regulator where I work? Or is it because I have a social conscience?
What is it all for? John Kays excellent book is purportedly an attempt to answer this question, where it refers to banks enormous balance sheets, the vast volumes of financial activity, the huge rewards on offer in finance and the activities of financial services in general.
