Why people recommend it
Bad Samaritans by Ha-Joon Chang is a provocative and well-researched critique of conventional globalization and free-market orthodoxy, arguing that wealthy nations often deploy hypocritical economic policies that hinder rather than help developing countries. During an appearance on The Ezra Klein Show in an episode titled Three Visions of Where Democrats Went Wrong, published on April 29, 2025, Shujaat Wasty offered this compelling title as his second book recommendation to the podcast audience. Wasty noted during the discussion that Chang's work tells the fascinating story of how a group of currently developed countries managed to enter mission mode in the past to successfully build and grow their national economies. By highlighting this historical perspective, Wasty drew attention to alternative economic development models that deviate sharply from standard free-market prescriptions, emphasizing instead the strategic state interventions and industrial policies utilized by wealthy nations during their own developmental phases. His thoughtful recommendation on the program added significant depth to the broader dialogue surrounding economic policy, trade, global inequality, and the historical mechanics of national growth. This gave listeners a valuable analytical framework for evaluating modern economic challenges, international trade agreements, and the practical steps required for emerging economies to achieve sustained industrialization, technological advancement, and long-term prosperity in an increasingly complex and competitive global marketplace.
Who recommended it
- Shujaat Wasty Recommended
Shujaat Wasty — 1 mention
“second book I'd say is probably the second bad Samaritans by Hajun Chang, which tells the story of how a bunch of developed countries managed to go into mission mode and and develop their countries.”