Although the book has a good argumentar, It could be shorter with the same content.

An in depth analysis, extensive research on so many countries! It answers most of the questions about the roots of modern economic development. Great reading!

One of the best books on the political economy that I've ever read. Worth every second of your time!

A essential read for those genuinely interested in the factors that cause prosperity and poverty.

Mandatory History Lessons

Ubiquitous Detail encompassing all of Recorded History

Very clearly presented and easy to understand

Yes, but I want to listen to it several times to really understand how Politics affects economics and social orders everywhere.

So much in depth analysis and cross referencing of our history and how nations have succeeded and failed, that this should be mandatory reading for all high school and college students. It really sheds new light on how and why politics has affected nations throughout human history

Brilliant insights into how undemocratic regimes create perverse incentives that suppress progress. Powerful, hope-engendering implications for foreign aid and development programs if they can reform their unproductive current methods.

A very good research about origins of poverty in Africa and Latin America but so terrible explaining China development and more terrible forecasting the rise of Brazil

The good research about the spanish Colonialism how doomed for the coming years all the countries in Latin America

No

Never forecast

Very good book , awesome perfomance , a little bit difficult to the narrator to spell so many Names and Institutions in different languages ( Spanish , French , Afrikaans and Chinese).

The book feel old in the last chapters , specially trying to forecast the decline of china and the rise of Brazil

The actual thesis of this book could be explained in full detail in about 2 hours. The rest of the book is just historical examples to illustrate the thesis. All the historical examples help make his point, but I do think they run on a bit to long, and maybe a bit too much focus on England. The thesis was a great framework for looking at political systems, but he didn't seem to offer any practical value in using it. If you enjoy learning about the political history of a multitude of different nations, then this is a great read. If you just want a quick answer to the question "Why nations Fail?" Then I would just look look up a summary for this book. it's a simple and elegant answer, it is just mixed in with 20 hours of historical examples in this book.

The author did his homework. Excellent background information. Also consider "Collapse" by Jared Diamond for in depth observations of selected civilizations. Easy listening at 1.6 speed.

Why Nations Fail is one of the better crash courses in history to read because you know what you are learning has meaning behind it.

I personally think you should read the Dictators Handbook first or watch the CPG Grey YouTube video The Rules for Rulers as that explains an even better understanding from a slightly more zoomed out view. This book acts like the compendium or background / further reading.

There is so much history covered and in a more enjoyable way than boring history class that I highly recommend it just for that reason, especially with the way America and China are going right now.

FYI the answer is that Nations fail because extractive, absolutist polticial institutions create extractive economic institutions and those funnel wealth into the hands of a very small elite.

The nations that do better at thriving have inclusive, pluralistic polticial processes that foster inclusive economic institutions and those are better for more people.

Basically it's politics that matters the most and getting politics for the most people that matters.