Review of Political Order and Inequality: Their Foundations and Their Consequences by Carles Boix
Journal of Economic Literature
vol. 54,
no. 3, September 2016
(pp. 935-41)
Abstract
Political Order and Inequality: Their Foundations and Their Consequences argues that geography, technology, and wars determined the formation of a ruling class, inequality, and institutional development, rather than the other way around. Institutions are not a cause but a consequence. This relatively short book covers an enormous amount of material. I have sympathy for the basic idea of the book, but in some parts I would have liked to see more detailed evidence, especially on the more recent history and the Industrial Revolution.Citation
Alesina, Alberto. 2016. "Review of Political Order and Inequality: Their Foundations and Their Consequences by Carles Boix." Journal of Economic Literature, 54 (3): 935-41. DOI: 10.1257/jel.20151366Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- D02 Institutions: Design, Formation, Operations, and Impact
- D63 Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
- D72 Political Processes: Rent-Seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
- H11 Structure, Scope, and Performance of Government
- O43 Institutions and Growth