James A. Robinson Books

Let us begin with the fundamental idea. Throughout human history, the relationship between the state and society has been deeply ambivalent. A strong state can protect citizens, enforce laws, build infrastructure, and create stability. Yet, the same strength can crush dissent and turn the ruler into...

From The Narrow Corridor: States, Societies, and the Fate of Liberty

History offers a panorama of failed attempts to secure liberty. Every civilization has wrestled with the problem of how much power the state should hold. We can categorize their failures into two broad types: the absent Leviathan and the despotic Leviathan. The absent Leviathan describes societies ...

From The Narrow Corridor: States, Societies, and the Fate of Liberty

Our first task is clarity. Before we can trace the causes of prosperity and poverty, we must define the institutional structures that sustain them. We draw a sharp distinction between two archetypes: inclusive and extractive institutions. An inclusive economic institution is like fertile soil—it nur...

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

History shows us this institutional logic in action. Consider the Americas after European colonization. The Spanish built extractive systems in their colonies: forced labor under encomienda and later hacienda systems, where indigenous and African populations were ruthlessly exploited. These arrangem...

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

Before exploring the roots of inequality, it is crucial to clarify what sustains prosperity or poverty—the structure of institutions. These fall broadly into two categories: inclusive and extractive. Inclusive economic institutions are like fertile soil; they nurture initiative, reward effort, and g...

From Why States Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty

History vividly illustrates the logic of institutional development. Consider the postcolonial Americas. Spanish colonizers established extractive systems—such as the encomienda and hacienda structures—that relentlessly exploited Indigenous and African labor. These institutions generated immense weal...

From Why States Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty