President Mahinda Rajapakse and his host of 'advisors' should read this. The central thesis here is that states fail because of bad institutions and self serving governments. Cronyism and corruption cuts out the majority and reduces incentive for entrepreneurs. The book is a little one sided as it appears to only portray governments of the west as having reached, by hook or by crook, mostly by crook, the ideals of equitable governance. They were compelled if not by a moral urge then by a recognition that the presence of these factors will contribute to overall growth. A must read for anyone interested in political economy but honestly the first few chapters and the new york times article gives you the whole crux of the matter. The rest is mostly bonus information: case studies and the like. .

Good Article summarizing the book: 10 Reasons Countries Fall Apart http://www.farnamstreetblog.com/2012/...