--- canonical_url: "https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-24/the-political-economy-of-economic-and-productivity-growth-an-interview-with-daron-acemoglu-and-james-robinson-authors-of-why-nations-fail/" title: "The Political Economy of Economic and Productivity Growth: An Interview with Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson, Authors of Why Nations Fail" author: name: "CSLS" url: "https://csls.ca/author/cslc/" date_published: "2026-07-13T07:33:53+00:00" date_modified: "2026-07-13T07:33:53+00:00" post_type: "ipm" summary: "" ipm_issue_period: - "Fall 2012" ipm_keyword: - "Acemoglu" - "economic growth" - "extractive institutions" - "inclusive institutions" - "institutions" - "interview" - "political economy" - "productivity" - "Robinson" - "Why Nations Fail" ipm_research_theme: - "Policy and institutions" ipm_country_focus: - "Developing Countries" - "International" - "United States" featured_image: "https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IPM_50_banner.webp" status: "publish" --- # The Political Economy of Economic and Productivity Growth: An Interview with Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson, Authors of Why Nations Fail Canonical URL: https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-24/the-political-economy-of-economic-and-productivity-growth-an-interview-with-daron-acemoglu-and-james-robinson-authors-of-why-nations-fail/ # The Political Economy of Economic and Productivity Growth: An Interview with Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson, Authors of Why Nations Fail [Download full PDF article](https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IPM-Issue-24-9-Ragan.pdf) Cite this article × Cite this article as: Ragan, Christopher. 2012. “The Political Economy of Economic and Productivity Growth: An Interview with Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson, Authors of Why Nations Fail.” International Productivity Monitor, No. 24 (Fall 2012): 118–125. https://www.csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-24/the-political-economy-of-economic-and-productivity-growth-an-interview-with-daron-acemoglu-and-james-robinson-authors-of-why-nations-fail/ ## Author: - Christopher Ragan Department of Economics, McGill University ## IPM Issue 24 Fall 2012 pp. 118–125 ## Related IPM articles [The Relationship between Efficiencies Defenses for Mergers and TFP Growth Robin Shaban Fall 2025 | IPM Issue 49 | pp. 82–102](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-49/the-relationship-between-efficiencies-defenses-for-mergers-and-tfp-growth/) [Adult Skills and Productivity: New Evidence from PIAAC 2023 Dan Andrews, Balázs Égert, Christine de La Maisonneuve Fall 2025 | IPM Issue 49 | pp. 41–63](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-49/adult-skills-and-productivity-new-evidence-from-piaac-2023/) [The Potential Impact of Pro-competitive Regulatory Reforms on Productivity and Growth in Canada Gilbert Cette, Jimmy Lopez, Giuseppe Nicoletti, Océane Vernerey Fall 2025 | IPM Issue 49 | pp. 3–40](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-49/the-potential-impact-of-pro-competitive-regulatory-reforms-on-productivity-and-growth-in-canada/) [Appendix: UK Productivity Growth Rates Across Data Vintages and Studies Josh Martin Spring 2025 | IPM Issue 48 | pp. 65–73](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-48/appendix-uk-productivity-growth-rates-across-data-vintages-and-studies/) [Opportunities and Risks of Artificial Intelligence for Productivity Francesco Filippucci, Peter Gal, Katharina Laengle, Matthias Schief, Filiz Unsal Spring 2025 | IPM Issue 48 | pp. 1–26](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-48/opportunities-and-risks-of-artificial-intelligence-for-productivity/) [Using Ecosystem Accounting to Integrate the Environment in Measures of Multifactor Productivity Carl Obst Fall 2024 | IPM Issue 47 | pp. 87–108](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-47/using-ecosystem-accounting-to-integrate-the-environment-in-measures-of-multifactor-productivity/) [Eroding Natural Capital: An Alternative Explanation for the Secular Decline in Productivity Growth Christina Caron Fall 2024 | IPM Issue 47 | pp. 109–147](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-47/eroding-natural-capital-an-alternative-explanation-for-the-secular-decline-in-productivity-growth/) [How Does Industrial Policy Impact Output, Hours and Productivity? The Canadian Experience Tim Sargent Fall 2024 | IPM Issue 47 | pp. 39–53](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-47/how-does-industrial-policy-impact-output-hours-and-productivity-the-canadian-experience/) [Climate Change and Productivity — An Exploration Dirk Pilat Fall 2024 | IPM Issue 47 | pp. 54–86](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-47/climate-change-and-productivity-an-exploration/) [Could Domestic Industrial Policies, Even With Global Fragmentation, Revive Productivity? Catherine Mann Fall 2024 | IPM Issue 47 | pp. 3–19](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-47/could-domestic-industrial-policies-even-with-global-fragmentation-revive-productivity/) ## Abstract ## Résumé EN FR Copy link Email LinkedIn In fast-growing developing countries, rapid productivity growth is largely driven by economic growth. Consequently, an understanding of the reasons for this strong productivity growth requires a broader perspective on the dynamics of the overall growth process. In early 2012 Daron Acemoglu, an economist at MIT and James A. Robinson, a political scientist and economist at Harvard University, published Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty. With great historical detail, the book makes the case that it is man-made economic and political institutions that underlie economic success by creating incentives for wealth creation, rewarding innovation and allowing widespread participation in economic opportunities. This article is an edited transcript of an interview with the two authors on the major issues addressed in their book. RÉSUMÉ Dans les pays en développement rapide, la forte croissance de la productivité est largement due à la croissance économique. Il faut donc pour comprendre les raisons de cette forte croissance de la productivité une perspective élargie sur la dynamique du processus global de la croissance. Au début de 2012, Daron Acemoglu, économiste à l’Institut de technologie du Massachussett (MIT), et James A. Robinson, politicologue et économiste à l’Université Harvard, ont publié Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty. À l’aide d’une analyse historique fouillée, ce livre montre que ce sont les institutions économiques et politiques de l’être humain qui sous-tendent la réussite économique, parce qu’elles incitent à créer de la richesse, qu’elles récompensent l’innovation et qu’elles permettent à un grand nombre de tirer parti des possibilités économiques. Cet article est une transcription révisée d’une entrevue avec les deux auteurs sur les enjeux principaux abordé dans leur livre. IN FAST-GROWING DEVELOPING countries like Dans les pays en développement à forte croissance, la croissance rapide de la productivité est en grande partie portée par la croissance économique. En conséquence, comprendre les raisons de cette forte croissance de la productivité nécessite une perspective plus large sur la dynamique du processus de croissance global. Au début de 2012, Daron Acemoglu, économiste au MIT, et James A. Robinson, politologue et économiste à Harvard, ont publié Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty. Avec un grand souci du détail historique, l’ouvrage défend la thèse que ce sont les institutions économiques et politiques façonnées par l’homme qui sous-tendent le succès économique en créant des incitations à la création de richesse, en récompensant l’innovation et en permettant une participation généralisée aux opportunités économiques. Cet article est une transcription éditée d’un entretien avec les deux auteurs sur les principaux enjeux abordés dans leur ouvrage. [Download full PDF](https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IPM-Issue-24-9-Ragan.pdf)