Full of interesting facts and historical anecdotes, but it struggles to piece those together into an extremely compelling or convincing framework. Somewhat vague as to the definitions of its own key ideas. For all that, an enjoyable look at the economic and political history of nations.

ideal for those who want to understand the news they see on Twitter and Facebook.

Interesting but it seems to be a long article turned into a book. It is just the same thing over and over.

was OK, cool premise but got old and repetitive. would have liked more nuance and discussion

Interesting theory's. No one can disagree that extractive institutions are extremely harmful.

However the book is full of availability biases (authors should read Daniel Kahneman and Nassim Taleb's books).

Authors were also proved completely wrong about Brazil's Lula trajectory. His government were an extreme version of extractive institutions under a skin of pluralistic marketing.

The most important contribution the authors could have made was not covered: how to identify (at present) which are and are not extractive institutions. Of course, there is no definitive answer.

Very enlightening. It really helps understand why nations fail. The book is s bit too long and hard to follow in audio. Suggest a condensed version in audiobook.

fantastic book, reminder of what it took and how long for all the things we now take for granted

Anybody interested in the policy steps necessary to improve growth and social mobility within developing countries should read this book. It identifies the main underlying determinants as to why some areas have become rich, by lookig at the institutional framework rather than the specific policy.

A thoughtful, rigorously argued --and very readable!-- Economic History work by MIT professors Acemoglu and Robinson.Authors explore world history from the Neolithic to the present to support a central thesis: Equity is efficiency. Successful societies are the result of egalitarian institutions that allow the exercise of individual rights by everyone and competition based on performance.A vaccine of clear-thinking against both "realist" fatalism and revolutionary messianism. It should be compulsory reading for politicians (and for intellectuals at large) in Latin American and Southern European countries, including mine...

Interesting read on this authors perspective on how economic institutions shape our world. Worth the read.