{"id":2244,"date":"2014-04-16T10:23:18","date_gmt":"2014-04-16T14:23:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/antipaucity.com\/?p=2244"},"modified":"2014-04-16T10:23:18","modified_gmt":"2014-04-16T14:23:18","slug":"why-nations-fail-by-daron-acemoglu-and-james-a-robinson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/merikebi.warrenmyers.com\/?p=2244","title":{"rendered":"why nations fail by daron acemoglu and james a robinson"},"content":{"rendered":"

I first came across {{Why Nations Fail}} at my local Half Price Books<\/a>. After seeing it on the shelves a couple times, but still being unsure about whether I really wanted to read it or not, I reserved it at my local library<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Now I wish I had bought it (and likely will) – {{Daron Acemoglu}} & {{James A Robinson}}, while sometimes slipping into an academic, journalistic tone, present a fantastic historical, economic, cultural, and international view into the similarities, and differences, of “national” failures around the world over the last several centuries.<\/p>\n

They spend a great deal of time expounding on the differences of countries that succeed and those that don’t – and offer insights into how failing nations could, potentially, turn themselves around.<\/p>\n

Interestingly, the factors that play-into national success and failure are similar throughout history – critical junctures, inclusive\/pluralistic political and economic environments vs extractive\/exclusive political and economic structures, empowered citizenries, overbearing rulers, literacy, economic incentives (positive and negative), etc.<\/p>\n

The Iron Law of Oligarchy:<\/p>\n

the overthrow of a regime presiding over extractive institutions heralds the arrival of a new set of masters to exploit the same set of pernicious extractive institutions (p366)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

My recommendation? Buy it. Read it. Share it. The background and conclusions this book presents and reaches should be required reading for anyone who wants to see their nation “do better” – politicians, businessmen, citizens, NGOs: all would benefit from applying what is demonstrated in this excellent work.<\/p>\n