the controversy that had enveloped the World Bank has died down with the nomination of Robert Zoellick to succeed the scandal-hit Paul Wolfowitz. It would, however, be a pity if this opportunity to re-examine more fundamental questions about how the bank is run and its role in developing countries is lost. The most obvious issue is the nomination of the president. The us has customarily had the privilege of nominating the chief. This is obviously unfair. In the wake of the controversy, there have been renewed calls to initiate reforms that will make the election of the bank's president more democratic, especially given the fact that its operations have the greatest impact on developing nations. The reservations about the functioning of the bank