Lord Byron was a Luddite. The Romantic poet’s only speech in the House of Lords defended the followers of Ned Ludd, who were smashing the mechanical looms in England during the early 1800s because they feared the machines would put people out of work. Back then, some believed that technology would create unemployment. They were wrong. The industrial revolution made England richer and increased the total number of people in work, including in the fabric and clothing industries.

As the world moves from focusing on the Millennium Development Goals to sustaining their progress, it's critical to establish better ways to manage the financing behind the framework. The year ahead offers several opportunities to strike a more balanced arrangement.