James A. Robinson
Institute Director of The Pearson Institute; Reverend Dr. Richard L. Pearson Professor and University Professor; Harris School of Public Policy and Department of Political Science, University of Chicago; Recipient of the 2024 Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel
Publications
Why Did the West Extend the Franchise? Growth, Inequality and Democracy in Historical Perspective
Citation Robinson, James A, and Daron Acemoglu. 2000. “Why Did the West Extend the Franchise? Growth, Inequality and Democracy in Historical Perspective”. Quarterly Journal of Economics CXV:1167-1199. Download (PDF) Why Did the West Extend the Franchise? Growth,...
Political Losers as Barriers to Economic Development
Citation Robinson, James A, and Daron Acemoglu. 2000. “Political Losers as Barriers to Economic Development”. American Economic Review 90:126-130. Download (PDF) Political Losers as Barriers to Economic Development
Is Child Labor Inefficient?
Citation Robinson, James A, and Jean-Marie Baland. 2000. “Is Child Labor Inefficient?”. Journal of Political Economy 108:663-679. Download (PDF) Is Child Labor Inefficient? Abstract We build a model of child labor and study its implications for welfare. We assume that...
Democratization or Repression?
Citation Robinson, James A, and Daron Acemoglu. 2000. “Democratization or Repression?”. European Economic Review 44:683-693. Download (PDF) Democratization or Repression? Abstract Regimes controlled by a rich elite often collapse and make way for democracy amidst...
Dynamic Contractual Enforcement: A Model of Strikes
Citation Robinson, James A. 1999. “Dynamic Contractual Enforcement: A Model of Strikes”. International Economic Review 40:209-230. Download (PDF) Dynamic Contractual Enforcement: A Model of Strikes
Theories of “Bad Policy”
Citation Robinson, James A. 1998. “Theories of "Bad Policy"”. Policy Reform 1:1-46. Download (PDF) Theories of "Bad Policy"
Long-Term Consequences of Population Growth: Technological Change, Natural Resources, and the Environment
Citation Robinson, James A. 1997. “Long-Term Consequences of Population Growth: Technological Change, Natural Resources, and the Environment”. Pp. 1177-1271 in Handbook of Population and Family Economics, vol. 1B, edited by Mark R Rosenzweig and Stark, Oded. Elsevier....
Rent Appropriation and Sustained Growth
Citation Robinson, James A. 1996. “Rent Appropriation and Sustained Growth”. Economic Letters 50:71-77. Download (PDF) Rent Appropriation and Sustained Growth Abstract This paper demonstrates that the introduction of imperfect competition into the labor market can...
The Political Agenda Effect and State Centralization
Citation “The Political Agenda Effect and State Centralization.” (joint with Daron Acemoglu, MIT and Ragnar Torvik, Trondheim), NBER Working Paper #22250, submitted to AER: Insights. Download (PDF) The Political Agenda Effect and State Centralization Abstract We...
Wars and State-Making Reconsidered: The Rise of the Interventionist State
Citation “Wars and State-Making Reconsidered: The Rise of the Developmental State,” (2016) (joint with Steven Pincus, Yale University), Annales, Histoire et Sciences Sociales, 71(1), 7-35. “The Need for Enemies” (2016) (joint with Leopoldo Fergusson, University of the...