Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson
Geography and culture do not determine whether a nation prospers or starves. A country's fate relies entirely on whether its political framework chooses to empower its citizens or extract wealth for the elite.
Political institutions dictate economic outcomes because those who hold political power design the economic rules to serve their own interests.
Inclusive societies foster prosperity by enforcing property rights, ensuring a level playing field, and providing broad incentives for mass participation in markets.
Extractive regimes purposefully stifle innovation and block technological advancement because they fear that economic disruption will ultimately undermine their monopoly on political power.