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Why Nations Fail

The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty

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Why Nations Fail

Written by: Daron Acemoglu, James A. Robinson
Narrated by: Dan Woren
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NEW YORK TIMES AND WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER • From two winners of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences, “who have demonstrated the importance of societal institutions for a country’s prosperity”

“A wildly ambitious work that hopscotches through history and around the world to answer the very big question of why some countries get rich and others don’t.”—The New York Times

FINALIST: Financial Times and Goldman Sachs Business Book of the Year Award • ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The Washington Post, Financial Times, The Economist, BusinessWeek, Bloomberg, The Christian Science Monitor, The Plain Dealer

Why are some nations rich and others poor, divided by wealth and poverty, health and sickness, food and famine? Is it culture, the weather, or geography that determines prosperity or poverty? As Why Nations Failshows, none of these factors is either definitive or destiny.
 
Drawing on fifteen years of original research, Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson conclusively show that it is our man-made political and economic institutions that underlie economic success (or the lack of it). Korea, to take just one example, is a remarkably homogenous nation, yet the people of North Korea are among the poorest on earth while their brothers and sisters in South Korea are among the richest. The differences between the Koreas is due to the politics that created those two different institutional trajectories. Acemoglu and Robinson marshal extraordinary historical evidence from the Roman Empire, the Mayan city-states, the Soviet Union, the United States, and Africa to build a new theory of political economy with great relevance for the big questions of today, among them:
 
• Will China’s economy continue to grow at such a high speed and ultimately overwhelm the West?
 
• Are America’s best days behind it? Are we creating a vicious cycle that enriches and empowers a small minority?

*Includes a downloadable PDF of maps from the book

“This book will change the way people think about the wealth and poverty of nations . . . as ambitious as Jared Diamond’s Guns, Germs, and Steel.”—BusinessWeek

 Economics International Marketing & Sales Political Science Politics & Government Public Policy Africa China Latin America Business Socialism Capitalism Taxation Imperialism Success Economic Inequality Imperial Japan Middle Ages Russia Soviet Union Colonial Period Ancient History Economic disparity Social justice Government Middle East Self-Determination Comparative Politics International Politics International Development
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think you know how the world works? why countries are rich or poor? throw out your assumptions as you almost definitely fall into one of a few common incorrect ideological camps that have led to a $ trillion $$ in failed aid and helped numerous dictators rob their countries blind. this book doesn't give easy solutions since the problem is complex, but it does a very very good job of explaining what the problem is, using innumerable historical examples from all around the world. right now forces in your country are fighting to extract every drop of value and filter it into their clients pockets. and you'll let them because they say they are socialists, nationalists, monarchists, anticolonial, colonial, progressive, conservative, or whatever they think will keep the $ taps flowing. and as the country crumbles and falls into poverty, they will redouble their efforts and toast the destruction. read (listen to!!) it. you need to be a bit literate. but it's worth it. to it.

Should be required reading.

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This was well put together. A body of knowledge worth revisiting regularly for policy advisers in developing nations. It can also be instrumental in the drafting of a strategy to approach a development project intended for developing countries.

While I admit that I may need another review of this work to fully appreciate it, I have one question that the author might shed a little light on.

The research highlighted the main barriers to sustainable development in many developing nations. And it provided Brazil as a case study for overcoming one of such barriers through civil society mobilization. Although this was yet to be a fact at the time of publication, the gains Brazil made during the Lula era are being dismantled right now. What could Brazil have done differently to ensure enduring progress?

An eye opener for national development aspirants

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I learned a lot from this book on why nations fail and why they succeed. It depends on whether they have extractive or inclusive institutions. With knowledge like this becoming more well known, there may be hope for some improvement in the world. At least we will have the right goals to shoot for.

a valuable read

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Bit repetive at times but excellent content and theory. Definitely still recommend, just take some breaks.

extractive institutions

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very informative theory and book. very good read for any one. fun and relaxing

informative

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