Brilliant and engagingly written, Why Nations Fail answers the question that has stumped the experts for centuries: Why are some nations rich and others poor, divided by wealth and poverty, health and sickness, food and famine? Is it culture, the weather, geography?
Perhaps ignorance of what the right policies are? Simply, no. None of these factors is either definitive or destiny. Otherwise, how to explain why Botswana has become one of the fastest growing countries in the world, while other African nations, such as Zimbabwe, the Congo, and Sierra Leone, are mired in poverty and violence?
Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson conclusively show that it is man-made political and economic institutions that underlie economic success (or lack of it). Korea, to take just one of their fascinating examples, is a remarkably homogeneous nation, yet the people of North Korea are among the poorest on earth while their brothers and sisters in South Korea are among the richest. The south forged a society that created incentives, rewarded innovation, and allowed everyone to participate in economic opportunities.
The economic success thus spurred was sustained because the government became accountable and responsive to citizens and the great mass of people. Sadly, the people of the north have endured decades of famine, political repression, and very different economic institutions—with no end in sight. The differences between the Koreas is due to the politics that created these completely different institutional trajectories.
Based on fifteen years of original research Acemoglu and Robinson marshall extraordinary historical evidence from the Roman Empire, the Mayan city-states, medieval Venice, the Soviet Union, Latin America, England, Europe, the United States, and Africa to build a new theory of political economy with great relevance for the big questions of today, including: - China has built an authoritarian growth machine.
Will it continue to grow at such high speed and overwhelm the West? - Are America’s best days behind it? Are we moving from a virtuous circle in which efforts by elites to aggrandize power are resisted to a vicious one that enriches and empowers a small minority? - What is the most effective way to help move billions of people from the rut of poverty to prosperity?
More philanthropy from the wealthy nations of the West? Or learning the hard-won lessons of Acemoglu and Robinson’s breakthrough ideas on the interplay between inclusive political and economic institutions? Why Nations Fail will change the way you look at—and understand—the world."
Ciku Kimani-Mwaniki –
I have no memory of ever being sold to a book by the intro; usually it takes the first four paragraphs- until I picked DJo’s book.
What he has done is master the art of making fun of himself, in a hilarious way. He lets us, through snippets, into his life – and nearly nothing is sacred. He makes his mess funny. What it is, is tasteful, and did I say funny? ‘now you see me’ is not a collection of short stories, it is not flash fiction either – it’s very, very short memoirs – some told in just a hundred words but they all hit the funny bone. It’s something more real, something we can all identify with, only we cannot tell it the way Djo does.
And the illustrations, ones he has done himself, kinda tells where his passion lies.
Highly, highly recommended
Sylvia –
It has been quite an experience reading this book. From the cover page and the preview I knew that I would be in for a great ride; the author did not disappoint.
The illustrations are amazing. DJo is so talented! And he is also committed to what he does, no wonder he gets all these opportunities.
Now to the actual content… I have scratched my head trying to point out my favourite story and to be honest, it is not an easy task. These stories are all so raw and relatable. The author has used a style of writing that can be followed by all. And no matter how short or long the story is, he manages to add some humour in it and that is just so remarkable about how he sees life. Nevertheless, I know I’ll read ‘Mr. Preacherman’ a couple of more times than the other chapters. Kudos!
Chief, the NuriaStore bookseller –
The book is written in a diary format which I found to be pretty interesting and it makes the reading experience different.
We start off with the journal entries of Thefu and his motorbike, that he use to cruise in the streets of Nairobi. now you see me is about how the author sees his day to day life. Author is a great observer and brings out the experience and how he goes about it from his first accident, interviews and the COVID-19 problems that came with face masks and communication.
My favorite part in the book was definitely, the part he was involved in an accident and while at the hospital he acts normal and no pain when the beautiful nurse comes to examine his condition.
You’ll enjoy the book because of its great humour. It talks about what happens on a day to day basis on what a normal Nairobian rat race life. This is one of the hilarious memoirs that you would want to read, how the author gives the descriptions of how his day went.
This is a quick read as it’s stories are two – three pages. My favourite chapter was chapter one: “Life Is Hard, and I can relate to it and say Life Is Not a Hack; Who Should Decide How You Are Going To Live, should be you.