The Ratchet of Technology, a site by Michael Magoon

A Library of 280+ Book Summaries on Technology, History, Economic Growth & Progress

Menu Skip to content
  • Recent
  • Most Popular
  • My Book
  • Recommended
  • Learning Paths
  • Archive
  • About

Category: Institutions in History

Books that focus on the role of institutions (usually government, corporations, churches, military) have had on human history. In particular, they seek to find institutions that aid development.

September 24, 2021December 2, 2021 Michael Magoon

Book Summary: “The Institutional Revolution” by Douglass Allen

July 26, 2021November 21, 2021 Michael Magoon

Book Summary: “Institutions and the Path to the Modern Economy” by Avner Greif

July 26, 2021December 2, 2021 Michael Magoon

Book Summary: “Guilds, Innovation and the European Economy, 1400-1800” by Epstein and Prak

July 6, 2021December 2, 2021 Michael Magoon

Book Summary: “The Dynamics of Ancient Empires” by Morris and Scheidel

June 23, 2021November 21, 2021 Michael Magoon

Book Summary: “Cities of Commerce” by Oscar Gelderblom

May 5, 2021December 2, 2021 Michael Magoon

Book Summary: “Empire: How Britain Made the Modern World” by Niall Ferguson

March 29, 2021December 2, 2021 Michael Magoon

Book Summary: “Rulers, Religion, and Riches” by Jared Rubin

February 10, 2020November 21, 2021 Michael Magoon

Book Summary: “Violence and Social Orders” by North, Wallis and Weingast

January 25, 2020December 2, 2021 Michael Magoon

Book Summary: “The Dictator’s Handbook” by Mesquita and Smith

January 9, 2020November 21, 2021 Michael Magoon

Book Summary: “Why Nations Fail” by Acemoglu and Robinson

Featured Content

Read my new book
Blog
Learning Paths
Causes of Progress
My Book Rating system
Top Authors

Categories

  • Authors (1)
  • Blog (3)
  • Book Summaries (243)
    • About my Summaries (1)
    • Big History (3)
    • Biology & Human History (14)
    • Business (5)
    • Cities in History (8)
    • Complexity (1)
    • Cultural Evolution (8)
    • Development (2)
    • Digital Technology (4)
    • Domesticated Animals (2)
    • Economic Complexity (3)
    • Economic Development (9)
    • Economics in History (6)
    • Energy (9)
    • Environment & Progress (1)
    • Food Production in History (14)
    • Foreign Policy (4)
    • Geography (3)
    • Geography in History (2)
    • History (4)
    • HIstory of Life (4)
    • Human History (1)
    • Human Networks (7)
    • Industrialization (9)
    • Inequality (2)
    • Innovation (6)
    • Institutions in History (10)
    • Migrations (4)
    • Opponents of Progress (2)
    • Progress (11)
    • Psychology (2)
    • Recommended Books (2)
    • Research (1)
    • Science & Human History (5)
    • Skills, Knowledge and Achievement (10)
    • Society Types (5)
    • State-building (6)
    • Technology (17)
    • Values & Culture (13)
    • War & Violence in History (13)
    • Why Europe got Rich (11)
  • Books I have written (2)
  • Learning Paths (1)
  • Most Popular Posts (4)
  • My Thoughts on… (8)
    • Progress and Change (1)
    • Technologies (1)
    • Theory (5)
  • Some Article Summaries (46)
    • Biology and Humans (5)
    • Causes of Economic Development (7)
    • Cooperation (2)
    • Cultural Evolution (1)
    • Culture and Ethnicity (5)
    • East vs West (5)
    • Economic Complexity (6)
    • Geography & Development (5)
    • Happiness (1)
    • Human Network (2)
    • Opponents of Progress (1)
    • Technology, Innovation & Diffusion (6)
  • Uncategorized (1)

Top Posts & Pages

  • Book Summary: “Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human” by Richard Wrangham
  • Book Summary: “Technology: A World History” by Daniel Headrick
  • Book Summary: “The Tragedy of Great Power Politics” by John Mearsheimer
  • Book Summary: “Poor Economics” by Banerjee and Duflo
  • Book Summary: "Special Providence: American Foreign Policy and How It Changed the World" by Walter Russell Mead

Tags

18th Century History 19th Century History 20th Century History African History Agrarian Societies Agriculture American History Ancient History Article Summary Asian History Biology Biology and Human History Book Summary British History Business Chinese History Cities Cooperation Cultural Evolution Culture Diffusion of Technology Digital Technology Dutch History Early Humans Early Modern History Economic Complexity Economic Development Economic History Economics Empires Energy Ethnicity & Race Ethnic Minorities European History Evolution Extractive Institutions Food Fossil Fuels Genetics Geography in History Great Powers History Horticultural Societies Human Networks Hunter Gatherers Ideas Industrial Revolution Industrial Societies Industrial Technology Innovation Institutions Knowledge Medieval History Migration Military Natural Selection Physics Pre-History Progress and Change Psychology Rise of the West Science Skills Social Organizations Society Types Subsistence Technology Theory Trade Transportation Values Violence War Why Europe World History
Blog at WordPress.com.
  • Follow Following
    • The Ratchet of Technology, a site by Michael Magoon
      • Join 97 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • The Ratchet of Technology, a site by Michael Magoon
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar