This book consists of eight comparative studies drawn from history, archeology, economics, economic history, geography, and political science. The studies cover a spectrum of approaches; geographically, they include the United States, Mexico, Brazil, western Europe, tropical Africa, India, Siberia, Australia, New Zealand, and other Pacific islands.
Jared Diamond is Professor of Geography at the University of California, Los Angeles. His books include Guns, Germs, and Steel.James A. Robinson is Professor of Government, Harvard University.