Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty

Why do the rich get richer and the poor stay poor? Countries that is. That is the central conundrum addressed in this book, Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty by Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson. Using original research by the authors, Why Nations Fail delves into the factors that contribute to the complex combination of politics, economics, history, and revolution, and the role they play in dramatic differences between nations.

No one disputes that huge wealth disparities exist between nations. One of the early examples from the book looks at the neighboring cities of Nogales, Arizona and Nogales, Sonora, across the fence in Mexico. While so close in physical proximity, the two towns are grossly different in many ways, but most especially in terms of income, public and health services, education, law enforcement, and life expectancy. This disparity exists the world over—between North Korea and South Korea, in Africa, and across history, from the Roman Empire to modern Egypt and the “Arab Spring.”

Hailed as ambitious as Germs, Guns, and Steel by Jerrod Diamond, Why Nations Fail is a read that will challenge and expand your understanding of the world’s power dynamics.