Microlending is the practice of making small loans -- sometimes as small as $20 or so -- to the poor. It's become more and more popular in recent years, getting a large boost from a 2006 Nobel Prize.
Planet Money reports that microlending is in the midst of a backlash. Criticism is not new, but the intensity seems to have picked up. Politicians in developing countries and negative headlines are creating headwinds for microlending.
The first generation of microloans were very inexpensive. They were made with the goal of helping people move out of poverty, but some have always disagreed with the philosophy behind those loans. Now, loans are becoming less friendly and inexperienced borrowers are running into trouble.
Ultimately, a backlash could help microlending's success: people on all sides of the issue can identify problems and work on solutions.