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fairytalefetish 's review for:
Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty
by Daron Acemoğlu, James A. Robinson
If one were to apply the 'theory' that forms the core of this book to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, one would find them to be an 'unrepresentative institution' legitimising 'extractive regimes' in defence of 'undemocratic political institutions'. The single most impressive feature of the book is the absence of a hat tip to this irony throughout its 460 or so pages.
I suspect at least Foucault would have smiled.
The authors establish a hierarchical order of 'perfect political institutions': British, British political allies, and individual political leaders supporting Western utilitarian politico-economic models for their own countries. Their grand theory is a patchwork of pseudo-technical terms and a myopic, deterministic interpretation of economic history; in other words 'trust me, bro'.
Two stars for the breadth of its research, which is undoubtedly impressive. Much food for thought for which I am grateful but I doubt I'd have appreciated it if I were better educated. The third is because they tried(yes I am being ironic, but turns out you get a Nobel for it these days?).
I suspect at least Foucault would have smiled.
The authors establish a hierarchical order of 'perfect political institutions': British, British political allies, and individual political leaders supporting Western utilitarian politico-economic models for their own countries. Their grand theory is a patchwork of pseudo-technical terms and a myopic, deterministic interpretation of economic history; in other words 'trust me, bro'.
Two stars for the breadth of its research, which is undoubtedly impressive. Much food for thought for which I am grateful but I doubt I'd have appreciated it if I were better educated. The third is because they tried(yes I am being ironic, but turns out you get a Nobel for it these days?).