Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty
Sometimes a non-fiction can be more a page turner than fiction. I find this book very thought-provocaking. When the book mentions that in order for the Spanish crown, the conquistadors and their descendants to make themselves very rich, they designed instituions to force indigenous people's living standard down to a subsistence level, and to extract all income in excess of this for the Spaniards. Such institutions 1) expropriated the land of the indigenous people, 2) forced them to work in exchange for low wages, 3) charged high taxes and 4) charged high prices for goods that weren't even voluntarily bought. After I read all these four measures, I can't help but compare the existing policy of my elected government to the tactics of these old colonial institutions.
I know that I read this book years too late. But to me, this book is still mind-opening. Have you read this book? What do you feel about it?
Comments
Post a Comment
If you also have the above book in your home library, or if you have read the book, please feel free to enter your comment or book review in the comment area below:)