Rulers, Religion, and Riches Quotes

“It is also possible that Western European rulers would have been unable to prevent the spread of printing even had they wanted to. Unlike the Ottoman Empire, Western Europe was highly fragmented, with numerous rulers presiding over relatively small territories. This meant that if one ruler suppressed printing, printers could simply go to a neighboring state and print there.”
― Jared Rubin, Rulers, Religion, and Riches: Why the West Got Rich and the Middle East Did Not

“any interest group that has a powerful seat at the political bargaining table but does not have interests consistent with economic growth will play a retarding role in a society’s economy.”
― Jared Rubin, Rulers, Religion, and Riches: Why the West Got Rich and the Middle East Did Not