Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty by Daron Acemoglu, James A. Robinson - Paperback

Insightfull

I think the book is ambitious and clever, however myopic in its point of view. It also cherry picks arguments to support its hypothesis.

Daron is one of the leading economists of the time. This is the first installment which was followed by another book, under the title " The narrow corridor". He follows and quantifies (in his academic research) the views of Douglass C. North. It decimates the world view of the Chicago doctrine, and provides a new paradigm for how to approach economic development.

Another boring book I guess the title is just too attractive compared to content

Great work

Avevo sentito parlare in maniera estasiata di Acemoglu da due amici studenti di economia, ma non avevo mai avuto modo di "viverlo" in prima persona. "Why Nations Fail" non è solo un saggio economico, ma un vero e proprio viaggio che, al suo termine, ti fa sentire accresciuto intellettualmente e nella visione del mondo. Acemoglu è stato in grado di far coinciliare in maniera eccellente varie materie: dall'economia alla geografia; dalla storia alla sociologia. Libro che reputo dovrebbe essere fatto leggere in uno degli ultimi due anni di superiori, e che consiglio tantissimo ai miei colleghi di giurisprudenza appassionati di diritto comparato; diritto internazionale ed economia politica. A tratti forse leggermente ripetitivo, ma comunque un "must".

ekonomi ve siyaset ile ilgili bir bölüm okumuyorsanız dahi okumanız gereken bir kitap bölümünüz ne ile ilgili olursa olsun mutlaka herkesin okuması gereken bir kitap ama şunuda belirtmek gerekir bu kitap çin hakkında yanılmış da olabilir çünkü bu kitap yazıldığında çin neredeydi nereye geldi ama tabi ki gelecek ne gösterir oda bilinmez

This book is a masterpiece that aimed at answering one of the most critical questions facing the world today: why are some nations rich and others poor? Authors Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson argue that it is political and economic institutions that underlie economic success.

Good

Though there are some bumps and jags along the way, as well as a popular misunderstanding on a political term and my personal reservation on how they name a certain kind of institutions, to which I will refer below, “Why Nations Fail,” by Acemoglu and Robinson, is a deep and penetrating analysis and clear deduction of the most important economic and political issue of human life that makes it utmost deserving to be read by anyone. Matter of fact, this book should be compulsory reading on every level of education and every type of productive activity the reader may be right now mastering or fulfilling, for its content clearly explains what should – in fact, must – be done by every society that is pestered by poverty and/or dictatorship, to heave itself up onto the level of well-being and prosperity . By no means is such goal an easy endeavor and it may take a long time to reach it, but if the task is not undertaken, affluence will never be attained. What’s more, mankind itself will return to a prehistoric level and oblivion, for evolution itself hasn’t made human beings to grovel in misery and despair. Since the authors are members of two of America’s most renowned universities that are known to complaisantly side with left-wing ideology as the mainstream of worldwide academia and media does, it’s most surprising to read them as fiercely defending free markets as well as individual freedom, ingenuity and prosperity. This promotes a warm feeling of confidence, in spite of the fact that, from time to time, they unwittingly slide into their alma mater’s antecedents, by rendering, for example, Brazilian’s recently past (“Lula”) and present left-wing movements as promoting the very type of political institutions they view as necessary to attain progress and well-being, or stating democracy as a necessary aim for such a goal, fully leaving aside that democracy is, always was and always will be the complete set of voted dictatorships, i.e. a political elite posturing as representatives of the people and issuing commands that must be obeyed by everybody, thus clearly eradicating the freedom and own decisions of every productive and peaceful individual. On a personal aside and, yes, following my own likings, I wouldn’t have called the opposite to “extractive institutions,” “Inclusive,” for this is, at least to me, a wishy-washy term that doesn’t correctly characterize what Acemoglu and Robinson herald: Enforcing property rights, create a level playing field, encourage innovation and investment in new technology and skill and side with creative destruction, i.e. the replacement of old technological achievements by new and much better ones. I would have preferred to speak of “Improvement institutions,” to avoid the term “progress,” which has been politically subverted by the left-wing, but, then, this is personal taste. Beyond these few disagreements, I invite those who read this comment, to urgently read “Why Nations Fail,” and promote it to friends, associates and the general public, as this would be a most beneficial and worthwhile endeavor.