Tangentially related, but I find "Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty" (Acemoglu & Robinson, 2012) takes a very interesting angle.

Tangentially related, but I find "Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty" (Acemoglu & Robinson, 2012) takes a very interesting angle. According to the book, a decisive role for the development is played by political and economic institutions being “extractive” (slavery, serfdom, and encomienda systems) or “inclusive” (universal protection of property rights, not just for the elite).