Benkler on OA publishing and global development

Olav Anders Øvrebø has posted an interview with Yochai Benkler to his blog, December 29, 2006.  Excerpt:

How do you see the role of Wikipedia and other freely licensed/commons-based projects (such as open access scientific publishing) in the context of global development? (Is Amartya Sen's claim that democracies with free media do not experience hunger crises a relevant context here?)

Benkler: This is similar to my prior answer. Sen's claim, to the extent it is true, certainly provides a context in which we can say that improving democracy can further development. Open access publishing can lower the costs of entry into the global information economy, and more basically, can allow people to live a richer life--informed and educated about their own culture and the world in which they live. Innovation and education are core components of development.

Open access publication help to overcome one major barrier to development in these areas....And yet, we cannot forget that the major reason for lack of education is the opportunity cost of a child's education for the family. No intervention has been more effective than paying families to send their children to school. While lowering the direct cost of education--through open educational materials--is important, it is not a silver bullet that solves the problems. It can only help within a broader, more complete and integrated solution to the problems of global poverty....