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Why Nations Fail - A Book Review

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Why Nations Fail - A Book Review
Why Nations Fail by James A. Robinson and Daron Acemoglu

a b o o k r e v i e w

INTRODUCTION

Why Nations Fail is a non-fiction book by James A. Robinson and Daron Acemoglu which is based on the views and insights from the economic history of each country to be able to answer why nations grow differently, why others succeed while others fail. The stories are linked with a common narrative theme, the distinction between inclusive and extractive institutions. The book claims that nations with inclusive institutions are more successful than those with extractive institutions in the long run.

Other people who have not bumped into this kind of books will most likely foreshadow this work as not so entertaining since most of it, well actually every chapter of this book deals with nothing but politics and economics, but as you go through every chapter of the book, you will find it to be a total opposite to what you expected. It is interesting in a way that you get the chance to know the economic status of each country and its reason why it grows differently: others succeed and others fail.

As a group, we say yes. We did enjoy the book though we started reading it very late already. Through this, we were able to understand more why economies grow in different ways and what factors causes it to prosper or fail.

BOOK REVIEW

The thesis made by James A. Robinson and Daron Acemoglu is about the nation’s failure to prosperity. The book answers the big question that has been pondered by many economists for a long time now - Why some societies prosper and others don't? For Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson, it is the institutions that determine the fate of nations. Both authors claim that a country succeeds when political and economic institutions are "inclusive". Inclusive institutions are institutions in which many people are involved in the governing process

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