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James A. Robinson

James A. Robinson

8 commentaries

James A. Robinson, Institute Director of the Pearson Institute for the Study and Resolution of Global Conflicts, is University Professor at the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy. He is the co-author (with Daron Acemoglu) of The Narrow Corridor: States, Societies, and the Fate of Liberty, and Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty.

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  1. Why Taiwan Matters
    acemoglu51_ Central News AgencyHandoutGetty Images_pelositaiwan Central News Agency/Handout/Getty Images

    Why Taiwan Matters

    Aug 9, 2022 Daron Acemoglu & James A. Robinson see the island as evidence against culturally deterministic explanations of authoritarianism and democracy.

  2. Why Trumpian Populism Failed
    jarobinson7_Joe RaedleGetty Images_trump cpac rally Joe Raedle/Getty Images

    Why Trumpian Populism Failed

    Mar 9, 2021 James A. Robinson shows how US democratic institutions prevailed, and why they remain vulnerable to wannabe autocrats.

  3. How to Stem Ukraine’s Corruption
    acemoglu11_Spencer PlattGetty Images_ukrainegirlflowerstape Spencer Platt/Getty Images

    How to Stem Ukraine’s Corruption

    Oct 14, 2019 Daron Acemoglu & James A. Robinson show that it takes a society-wide effort for countries to escape the grip of kleptocratic institutions.

  4. The Constitution Won’t Save American Democracy
    acemoglu10_Brendan SmialowskiGetty Images_constitution Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images

    The Constitution Won’t Save American Democracy

    Sep 24, 2019 Daron Acemoglu & James A. Robinson argue that only social mobilization can remove the threat President Donald Trump poses to US institutions.

  5. Istanbul Shows How Democracy Is Won
    acemoglu8_ Burak KaraGetty Images_imamoglu istanbul Burak Kara/Getty Images

    Istanbul Shows How Democracy Is Won

    Jun 25, 2019 Daron Acemoglu & James A. Robinson draw lessons from the opposition's victory over Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s authoritarian party.

  1. patten158_JUSTIN TALLISAFP via Getty Images_brexit Carl Court/Getty Images
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    Internet Scammers and Political Tricksters

    Chris Patten highlights the link between rampant online fraud and the invulnerability of contemporary demagogues.
  2. roach157_CFOTOFuture Publishing via Getty Images_mate60 pro CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images
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    American Tactics vs. Chinese Strategy

    Stephen S. Roach

    For decades, US policymakers have preferred piecemeal tactical actions, while the Chinese government has consistently taken a more strategic approach. This mismatch is the reason why Huawei, to the shock of sanctions-focused American officials, was able to make a processor breakthrough in its flagship smartphone.

     warns that short-termism will never be enough to offset the long-term benefits of strategic thinking.
  3. sierakowski101_Beata ZawrzelNurPhoto via Getty Images_pis visa Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images
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    Will a Visa Scandal Sink Poland’s Populists?

    Sławomir Sierakowski wonders whether the ruling party’s base will hear or care about the most recent example of its hypocrisy.
  4. mueller47_VLADIMIR SIMICEKAFP via Getty Images_robertfico Vladimir Simicek/AFP via Getty Images
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    Democracies Are Not “Backsliding”

    Jan-Werner Mueller

    With a democratic recession underway in many countries, one now commonly hears talk of democratic “backsliding” on a global scale. But not only is that term misleading; it also breeds fatalism, diverting our attention from potential paths out of the new authoritarianism.

     thinks the language commonly used to describe the shift toward authoritarianism is hampering solutions.
  5. varoufakis107_Thomas LohnesGetty Images_christinelagarde Thomas Lohnes/Getty Images
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    Christine Lagarde’s Gifts to Populists

    Yanis Varoufakis worries that the European Central Bank's blunders have revived the far right's political fortunes.
  6. rodrik213_James WakibiaSOPA ImagesLightRocket via Getty Images_kenyasolar James Wakibia/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
    2

    Bridging the Climate-Development Gap

    Dani Rodrik & Ishac Diwan explain how to free up fiscal space for sustainable development in many low- and middle-income countries.
  7. sheng141_XinhuaMao Siqian via Getty Images_hong kong Xinhua/Mao Siqian via Getty Images
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    Lower Transaction Costs for Greater Innovation

    Andrew Sheng & Xiao Geng highlight the link between access to global markets and investment in research and development.
  8. Ashoka_Say-More_Ghersi-via-GettyRF
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    Ashoka Mody on Indian corruption, growth, jobs, and more

    Ashoka Mody explains the roots of the lack of accountability in India, highlights shortcomings in human capital and gender equality, casts doubt on the country’s ability to assume a Chinese-style role in manufacturing, and more.
  9. chowdhury1_BIJU BOROAFP via Getty Images_india flooding BIJU BORO/AFP via Getty Images
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    Why India’s Women Are More Vulnerable to Disasters

    Joyita Roy Chowdhury & Prarthna Agarwal Goel call attention to gender inequalities that exacerbate the effects of floods and other natural catastrophes.

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