Why people recommend it
Power and Progress by Daron Acemoglu and Simon Johnson is a thought-provoking economic history book that examines the thousand-year struggle over technology, prosperity, and the distribution of societal gains. Steve Levitt featured the work prominently on People I (Mostly) Admire, recommending it alongside Why Nations Fail as essential reading for anyone seeking to understand Daron Acemoglu's economic philosophy. Levitt and Acemoglu discussed the core arguments of the book, noting its surprising conclusion that technological advancements do not automatically benefit everyone and often see their gains captured by narrow elites, leaving the rest of society behind. The conversation also touched upon historical examples, such as Henry Ford's factories, to illustrate the complex relationship between automation, property rights, and human well-being. Additionally, the book was spotlighted on Freakonomics Radio, where the host examined the central question raised by the authors regarding why certain countries and populations achieve wealth while others remain impoverished. Across these podcast episodes, the speakers praised the book for offering a nuanced, historically grounded perspective on modern anxieties surrounding artificial intelligence and technological disruption, arguing that societal progress depends entirely on the conscious choices humans make about how to direct innovation.
Who recommended it
- Steve Levitt Recommended
- Stephen Dubner Discussed
- Daron Acemoglu Discussed
Steve Levitt — 6 mentions
“I want to talk about your most recent book; it's co-authored with Simon Johnson, and it's called 'Power and Progress,' which came out in May of 2023. So this is a book about technology and prosperity, and it comes to a very different conclusion than most people would expect from economists as authors.”
“If you want more of Daron Acemoglu’s thinking, my two favorite books of his are the ones we talked about today: 'Why Nations Fail' and his most recent book, 'Power and Progress.' And next week, we are back with a brand new episode featuring Richard Reeves; his research into the struggles of boys and men is stunning, sobering, and extremely”
“Another point that you make really forcefully in your book is the importance of property rights.”
“I want to talk about your most recent book; it's co-authored with Simon Johnson and it's called "Power and Progress," it came out in May of 2023.”
“You have a lot of examples in the book of technologies which create a lot of good, but almost all of that good is gobbled up by a set of elites, and it leaves the rest of society no better off.”
“If you want more of Daron Acemoglu's thinking, my two favorite books of his are the ones we talked about today: "Why Nations Fail" and his most recent book, "Power and Progress."”
Stephen Dubner — 2 mentions
“he's got a forthcoming book called power and progress our 1 000 year struggle over technology and prosperity and I think he's starting to subscribe at least in part to this idea that the abundance mindset”
“He's got a forthcoming book called 'Power and Progress: Our 1,000-Year Struggle Over Technology and Prosperity.'”
Daron Acemoglu — 1 mention
“The example that Simon and I give quite centrally in the book is Henry Ford's factories, which were at the forefront of automation.”
Mentioned on the show without a named speaker — 3
“Johnson co-wrote a book, 'Power and Progress: Our Thousand-Year Struggle of Technology and Prosperity,' with another MIT economist, Daron Acemoglu. The question that they address in that book is a big one: why are some countries and some people rich while others are poor?”
“World War I illustrates what happens when a small group of supposed experts makes disastrous decisions, as highlighted in Simon Johnson and Daron Acemoglu's book 'Power and Progress,' which offers examples of how decisions taken with certain technologies have had unforeseen consequences for generations, both positive and negative.”
“The economists Daron Acemoglu and Simon Johnson recently published a book on this theme called 'Power and Progress: Our 1000-Year Struggle Over Technology and Prosperity.' And here's what they wrote in a recent New York Times op-ed: 'Tech giants like Microsoft and Alphabet, Google, have seized a large lead in shaping our potentially AI-dominated future.'”
Also mentioned in the same episodes
Other mentions (3: passing, ad reads, own books)
“My guest today, Daron Acemoglu, is a professor of economics at MIT and co-author of a number of influential books written for a popular audience, including 'Why Nations Fail' and 'Power and Progress.' He is also, without a doubt, one of the greatest economists I have ever met.”
“My guest today, Daron Acemoglu, is a professor of Economics at MIT and co-author of a number of influential books written for a popular audience, including "Why Nations Fail" and "Power and Progress."”
“That's what triggered the "Why Nations Fail" book, which you have so kindly explained in such a masterly way, and that's also what motivated my more recent book "Power and Progress."”