‘ The Narrow Corridor ‘, by Daron Acemoglu & James A. Robinson

Am recommending everyone to read this book ‘The Narrow Corridor‘, on the topic of ‘States, Societies, and the Fate of Liberty’. Seems timely, especially as our liberties are being restricted, all for the best of motives. But then that is always the case.

COLES NOTES FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT GET TO A LIBRARY……………

Daron Acemoglu & James A. Robinson are professors in the USA. But that is where the similarity ends, as one is from Armenian heritage, and the other British. They rose to prominence with the book ‘Why Nations Fail‘ in 2012.

This new book describes societies from around the world, how they formed, and why. Not just today, but all the way back to the earliest human history.
The vast majority of those societies created elites who prosper, whilst everyone else suffers.

How does this happen?

Each society grows a “leviathan”, which can be a ruler, elites, a bureaucracy, or even a set of cultural and/or religious rules that have to be followed. This leviathan is necessary, a “referee/enforcer” to protect society, from internal and external forces.
The problem is the leviathan keeps growing, and will devour the society that created it. The leviathan needs to be shackled. But not too much. There needs to be a balancing act, between the leviathan, and activism from society. Society needs to be vigilant, and work together to ensure that the leviathan is strong, but shackled, otherwise the leviathan will trample on society.
There is no perfect solution, just a narrow corridor that the leviathan and society must run along together.

And the solution?

There have been many varieties of a successful society. But only the one model for a successful society. That society is always inclusive, adaptable and persistent. The successful society allows very different opinions to co-exist, yet reaches consensus on what needs to be done. It is not easy. Requires compromise. And eternal vigilence.

The incentive?

If society, or the leviathan, leave the corridor, everyone, and the book is full of examples, but everyone ends up on the road to ruin.

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MY COMMENT…………………………….

At the moment the leviathan is putting the shackles on society. All for the best of reasons. But then, restrictions on society always arise for the best of reasons. Society puts on just the one shackle, and liberty diminishes. Then another shackle, and another…..until liberty is gone.

The book starts with a quote from John Locke, arguing that liberty is when society has the “……freedom to order their actions, ………… as they see fit……without asking leave, or depending on the will of any other man.”

And today, we do NOT have that liberty.

“The road to hell is paved with good intentions”

READ THE BOOK!