I expect economic origins of dictatorship and democracy to be highly influential acemoglu and robinson will deservedly win an audience students of economics will study this text as much for its methodical exposition and academic proofs as for its conclusions. Economic origins of dictatorship and democracy this book develops a framework for analyzing the creation and consolidation of democracy different social groups prefer different political institutions because of the way they allocate political power and resources thus democracy is preferred by the majority of citizens but opposed by elites. Democracy consolidates when elites do not have strong incentive to overthrow it these processes depend on 1 the strength of civil society 2 the structure of political institutions 3 the nature of political and economic crises 4 the level of economic inequality 5 the structure of the economy and 6 the form and extent of . Britain exemplifies a steady albeit long development towards democracy the main driving force for which the authors suggest is the threat of social disorder this path contrasts with the path of argentina where democracy and non democracy frequently switched place due to again the threat of revolution and coups