Assignment:
You have read T&L Chap 8, and Why Nation's Fail. You are also assumed to have read through the PPT on LongRunEconomicGrowth that covers Institutions in detail and also has some on Geography as possible Fundamental Causes of long run economic growth (over very long time spans, not just a decade or two). Now please read Sidebar 8.2 in T&L Chap 8 and the Tsetse Fly short reading I've posted under Resources/Readings (It's a short Economist article). Then 1) Post a reply to this forum question given below, and 2) Post a thoughtful response to at least one other student's post to this topic. Your name is given when you post. Everyone should be respectful and kind to each other when responding to a student colleague.
Question: How do the Sidebar 8.2 and Tsetse Fly readings influence how you think about which is more important for long run growth, institutions or geography? How do they complicate the question of which is more important, or do they? You may refer to other readings we've had too, but specifically respond to these two.
Readings:
The effect of the tsetse fly on African development"
By Marcella Alsan