Seated In Action

In today’s episode, Ryan discusses the concepts and notions advanced in Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson’s Why Nations Fail. In the first half, Ryan summarizes some of the main arguments—namely their claims about what types of policies are effective and which are not. Your hosts then discuss the disconnect between the efficacy of specific policies and the values that voters hold; in doing so, they pose the following question: If a policy that clashes against your values is effective at achieving its goal (and let’s assume this is a favorable, positive outcome), would you want to uphold it despite the fact that it runs counter to the values you hold most dear?In the second half of the show, Ryan talks about the notion of extractive versus inclusive nations and policies; to illustrate this point, Ryan assesses the pros and cons of feudalism and colonialism. He then argues that there are certain prerequisites to which all effective policies must adhere (among these being safeguarding both property rights and