Review of Why Nations Fail by the always interesting Jared Diamond. In addition to good governance, geography matters too; it’s particularly hard to be a tropical,
land-locked country:
Europe has had up to four thousand years’ experience of
government, complex institutions, and growing national identities, compared to
a few centuries or less for all of sub-Saharan Africa. Europe has glaciated
fertile soils, reliable summer rainfall, and few tropical diseases; tropical
Africa has unglaciated and extensively infertile soils, less reliable rainfall,
and many tropical diseases. Within Europe, Britain had the further advantages
of being an island rarely at risk from foreign armies, and of fronting on the
Atlantic Ocean, which became open after 1492 to overseas trade.
He reckons that inclusive
institutions (participatory democracies that share the wealth) account for 50%
of nations’ successes. I think it’s great that smart people are looking closely
at these issues, and that life seems to be getting better for almost everyone.
This book, as well as Guns, Germs and Steel, is part of my 2012 reading list. Both highly recommended.
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