Economic Development in the Americas since 1500

Reviews / Votes

'This volume is both a magisterial and a profound reassessment of the role of institutions in the social, political, and economic evolution of the Americas from Columbian contact to the present. There is nothing in the literature that approaches the range and detail of the cross-country comparisons across the Americas offered by Engerman and Sokoloff and their coauthors. The broad conclusions have enormous implications for understanding the development paths of societies everywhere.' David Eltis, Robert W. Woodruff Professor of History, Emory University 'On the big question of why some countries are rich and others poor, I find myself coming back again and again to the argument at the heart of this book. Although Engerman and Sokoloff formulate it in simple terms, it is anything but simple. On the contrary, it opens up a wealth of deep ideas about the mechanisms elites use to sustain themselves in power and how these mechanisms then inhibit economic development.' Naomi R. Lamoreaux, Yale University 'The work of Engerman and Sokoloff is foundational to the literature on colonialism, institutions, and economic development and anyone interested in development or new institutional economics will need to read this book.' Tomas Nonnenmacher, EH.net