Robert H. Bates (1) (1942–)

Prosperity and Violence offers a surprisingly potent evocation of world political history for such a slender volume. The author makes no moral judgment about violence, but treats is matter-of-factly as a given aspect of human behavior. He presents the evidence that when affairs are conducted with any semblance of intelligence, peaceful processes are the most effective means for achieving prosperity. Unfortunately, he could not account for the current batch of deranged, suicidal plutocrats.

Bates’ selection of cases concerns me; he cites examples almost exclusively in Anglophone Africa, and West Africa in particular, with only passing reference to the Francophone countries that dominate the region; it’s unclear why (his credentials imply that he speaks French), but it hampers the generalizability of his argument. Additionally, he implies rather strongly that political concerns all but require elites to make poor policy decisions… yet, globally, there are countries where show more that is not the case. It would have been nice to see a greater exploration of why that is the case, and how it might be overcome. That said, especially for those unfamiliar with the state of politics in countries where institutions are political tools, this is a fantastic analysis and a good baseline against which to judge. show less

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