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1、Taxi Drivers Should Rule the WorldHost: Now its that time for the 60 second idea where were gonna improve the world. This week its delivered by great economist Branko Milanovic. Now, Branko, youve got one minute to win me over and win over my two other guests; writer and biologist Lewis Wolpert and
2、Kenyan artist and filmmaker Wangechi Mutu and of course the entire millions of people who listen to the BBC World Service around the world. So, take a deep breath. Your minute starts now. (Timer begins ticking.)Branko Milanovic:Here is how the world should be improved. It should be improved by havin
3、g taxi drivers rule it. So, they should be presidents of every single country in the world. Now, why is that the case? Because they have daily contact with local population and know what local population is bothered with and what they need. They also drive foreigners and know what the rest of the wo
4、rld thinks and wants. Now, they know all the domestic gossip. They know who is rich and why, who is corrupt. Travelers confide to them, particularly when travelers are drunk and on a night ride. They know how to deal with the authorities; when to obey them, when to ignore them, when to cajole them o
5、r to bribe them. They have to be alert all the time and they dont drink. And they have the ability to sit long hours, which is useful in political meetings when you have to out sit your opponent. Now, how should it be done? On December 12th, 2012, 12-12-12, which according to the Mayan calendar is t
6、he end of the world, all world leaders should resign. In each country there will be a free election,(timer rings) which only taxi drivers registered as of November 11th, 2011 could participate. And they will rule the world for four years and after that we shall see.Host: Now, Branko, your idea, I ha
7、ve to say, resonates enormously with me. I have a mentor at CambridgeUniversity, Professor Phillip Allot, who for years Ive been debating with that our work as international lawyers would come to an end when taxi drivers talked about international law. (laughter) Weve been debating this for years an
8、d a couple of years ago, out of the blue, he told me he had had a shocking experience. He had been in Edenborough; he had taken a taxi from the airport to the university. He got into a taxi and all of the sudden the taxi driver started talking about international law. This was for him a deeply depre
9、ssing moment. What about changing all the judges? And instead of having lawyers as judges, taxi drivers as judges, how bout that? Adding to your idea.Branko Milanovic:Phillip, I think its a great idea. I think so far we have gotten rid of retirement so weve really changed that. Theyll be no more ret
10、irement anymore for anybody. Weve got rid of the international law lawyers. Well, I think economists could be replaced by taxi drivers as well, but I think Wangechi and the artists have to remain.Host: Well, lets ask Wangechi about that. What about replacing the artists with taxi drivers, Wangechi?W
11、angechi Mutu: Ummm(laughter) I dont know if it would make a big difference. Im trying to think whats the difference between a taxi driver and an artist? We spend a lot of time sort of wandering around. Im not sure how to answer that question.Host:Would you like to see taxi drivers taking over the wo
12、rld? I mean weve all had experiences with taxi drivers. We wont get into too much detail here, weve got to be careful to be politically correct and not make assumptions, but weve all had conversations with taxi drivers.Wangechi Mutu: Well, truth be told, I mean in New York City often you get into a
13、conversation with a taxi driver you find out theyve got, ya know, three degrees from another country. And theyve got a family, or their grandfathers a Its like incredibly depressing sometimes to talk to taxi drivers, because youre literally sitting behind someone whos a lot better educated than you
14、are and for whatever reason has to schlep all the way across the seas to come and work and sort of make a living. And that feeds right into Brankos work, which is that theres this enormous relationship between wealth and nations and the sort of inequities that cause people to flee. But Ive talked to
15、 incredibly intelligent, articulate people driving me down the streets of dirty New York. And, truth of the matter is, a lot of them could be leaders of countries, if not and probably were! Its just sort of things changed for them and they have to be here.Host: It is true that taxi drivers in the Un
16、ited States have a particular-.Branko Branko Milanovic:But you know, there is a reason why there is actually as Wangechi says, there is a reason why they are fairly well educated and actually, quite honestly, extremely knowledgeable. Once I was driven by a taxi driver from Georgia, who actually said he survived several he was a general in Georgia he survived
