The Political Economy of Dictatorship
Author: Ronald Wintrobe
List Price: $70.00
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ISBN: 0521583292
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (28 March, 1998)
Sales Rank: 718,170
Average Customer Rating: 4 out of 5
Customer Reviews
Rating: 4 out of 5
Engaging analysis of dictatorship
It is much safer for an academic to write a flawless work on a picayune topic than to explore an interesting topic and make some mistakes along the way. In "The Political Economy of Dictatorship," Ronald Wintrobe takes the latter, riskier route. Using an unabashedly economistic approach, he tries to explain how dictators stay in power, how political repression and economic performance interact, the nature of democratic inaction and nationalism, and how bureaucracies function....In spite of any problems, "The Political Economy of Dictatorship" is well written, engaging, and filled with fascinating examples and astute observations. Wintrobe belongs to a growing contingent of contemporary thinkers, including Timur Kuran, Tyler Cowen, Donald Wittman, Geoffrey Brennan, and Loren Lomasky, who apply rigorous economics--written in plain English--to broad, substantive questions. Although Wintrobe's book leaves many questions unanswered, it is a significant contribution that both academics and laymen will enjoy.
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