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Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty by Daron Acemoğlu, James A. Robinson
hsuahnnee's review against another edition
challenging
informative
medium-paced
3.5
It’s a hard read for me. If you’re looking for an easy reading, this book is definitely not the one. But it’s overloaded with information that most of them I just have learned.
kek7rdu's review against another edition
2.0
DNF: cool book with great ideas, but it says the main point in the first chapter then has 400 pages repeating the same idea. The premise of inclusive political AND economic systems is cool and I liked the evidence they proposed (they explained the downfall of soviet russia in a easily understandable way) but i did not need to read 200 more pages saying the same thing in different words
sonialusiveira's review against another edition
4.0
Great book that explains the inequality in the world today and why some countries are rich whilst others are very poor. The historical facts added to explain the theories were such a treat - very informative and insightful. However, sometimes, the discussions felt a bit repetitive and redundant; some chapters could’ve been shortened.
In Why Nations Fail, the authors argued that the rich countries were able to achieve a sustainable economic growth thanks to their inclusive economic and political institutions that allowed them to take advantage of innovations and providing incentives. “Inclusive economic institutions, such as those in South Korea or in the United States, are those that allow and encourage participation by the great mass of people in economic activities that make best use of their talents and skills and that enable individuals to make the choices they wish. To be inclusive, economic institutions must feature secure private “property, an unbiased system of law, and a provision of public services that provides a level playing field in which people can exchange and contract; it also must permit the entry of new businesses and allow people to choose their careers.”
In contrast, the poor countries are poor because of their extractive economic and political institutions where a group of elite rule the country and the economic institutions are designed in such a way to extract incomes and wealth that would favour the ruling elite at the expense of the rest of society. The inclusive economic and political institutions are correlated, it is impossible to have an inclusive economic institution with extractive political institutions.
In Why Nations Fail, the authors argued that the rich countries were able to achieve a sustainable economic growth thanks to their inclusive economic and political institutions that allowed them to take advantage of innovations and providing incentives. “Inclusive economic institutions, such as those in South Korea or in the United States, are those that allow and encourage participation by the great mass of people in economic activities that make best use of their talents and skills and that enable individuals to make the choices they wish. To be inclusive, economic institutions must feature secure private “property, an unbiased system of law, and a provision of public services that provides a level playing field in which people can exchange and contract; it also must permit the entry of new businesses and allow people to choose their careers.”
In contrast, the poor countries are poor because of their extractive economic and political institutions where a group of elite rule the country and the economic institutions are designed in such a way to extract incomes and wealth that would favour the ruling elite at the expense of the rest of society. The inclusive economic and political institutions are correlated, it is impossible to have an inclusive economic institution with extractive political institutions.
michalhaman's review against another edition
5.0
Rozvinutie jednej funkčnej politickej teórie. Neúspech krajín prinášajú politické a ekonomické inštitúcie, ktoré sú vedené uzkym okruhom elity, ktorá sa snaží z krajiny extrahovať prostriedky. Naopak úspešné krajiny sú tie, v ktorých sa vyvinuli inkluzívne politické a ekonomické inštitúcie. Pluralizmus, ochrana vlastníckych práv, a široká reprezentácia všetkých skupín v krajine sú nevyhnutné pre úspech.
Teória je vysvetlená na veľa veľa prípadoch krajín naprieč časom a priestorom. Kniha preto nemá najmenej strán, no bola pre mňa okrem politologického čítania aj dejepisom. Od toho ako fungovali inštitúcie v stredovekých Benátkach, cez kolonizáciu Austrálie až po demokratizáciu Brazílie. Autori vybrali veľkú paletu príbehov, ktorá je sama o seba zaujímavá.
Teória je vysvetlená na veľa veľa prípadoch krajín naprieč časom a priestorom. Kniha preto nemá najmenej strán, no bola pre mňa okrem politologického čítania aj dejepisom. Od toho ako fungovali inštitúcie v stredovekých Benátkach, cez kolonizáciu Austrálie až po demokratizáciu Brazílie. Autori vybrali veľkú paletu príbehov, ktorá je sama o seba zaujímavá.
arcyeus's review against another edition
3.0
Way too lengthy in the middle for its own good. Excellent introduction and conclusion paragraphs though that set up all the political terminology and deliver on it with numerous case studies.