INTERVIEW

Interviewer: H. Juan David Romero P.

Interviewees: Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson.

Welcome Mr. Acemoglu and welcome too Mr. Robinson. Thanks for
accepting my invitation to this interview. I will start ask you about
your careers and then, about your bestseller of The Wall street
Journal and The New York Times: Why Nations Fail: The Origins of
Power, Prosperity, and Poverty.
1. In what year and which university obtained your Ph.D., Mr.
Acemoglu?
-In 1992 at the London School of Economics.
2. In what year and which university obtained your Ph.D., Mr.
Robinson?
-In 1993 at the Yale University.
3. What is your career and your main fields of research, Mr.
Acemoglu?
-I am economist and my main fields of research are the
economic growth, development economics and political
economy.
4. What is your career and your main fields of research, Mr.
Robinson?
- I am economist and political scientist. My main fields of
research are the comparative economic and political
development.
5. Actually, Where do you work, Mr. Acemoglu?
-I am working as a professor of economics at Massachusetts
Institute of Technology.
6. Actually, Where do you work, Mr. Robinson?
-I am working as a professor of government at Harvard
University.
7. Tell me a bit about your bestseller, Mr. Acemoglu.
Well, The principal idea of the book is the relevance of the
political institutions in the economic institutions and how this
power and your incentives can create prosperity and poverty.
8. And you Mr. Robinson, do you think the geography and culture
of a country behind its prosperity or poverty?

In absolutely not, those theories not work Although they seem

certain, the explication of the wealth of a nation it is in the
institutions created over time. The difference between
Colombia and United States is in the institutional history of
each country, while Colombia and your natural wealth in the
sixteen century are attractive for the explotation and the
privileges institutions, the little or nule natural wealth of United
States in the seventeen century not are attractive
for the explotation and in contrast with Colombia that country
starts to create democratic institutions and they serve to take
advantage of the industrial revolution.
9. So, the economic situation of Colombia is product of the lack of
pluralist political institutions and inclusive economic
institutions in its history, Mr. Robinson?
-Exactly, Juan David. The inequality and poverty of Colombia in
comparative with the United States is product of your bad
institutions and your bad economic politics benefit a few.
10.Finally, what is the solution, Mr. Acemoglu?
-I think Colombia has a great potential and this is something
positive, but the political and economic structure continues to
be corrupt and unequal and this is very negative, therefore the
first step to a best Colombia is the political change that it is
result of a more educated population.
For more information I recomend read our book, it is very funny
and revelator.
Thank for the interview Juan David, it is a pleasure for us to can
introduce our ideas about the poverty and prosperity.
-The pleasure is mine, Mr. Robinson and Mr. Acemoglu. Until
next interview.
Bye.