"Conquests & Rents" by Faisal Ahmed (review)

"Conquests & Rents" by Faisal Ahmed (review)

Author: Dr Alice Evans July 21, 2023 Duration: 17:15
Everyone knows that Muslim societies are more likely to be authoritarian and marred in civil war. The typical Muslim society is twice as likely to experience a civil war with 1000 battle deaths a year. The big question is why? Islamic culture, Islamic law, the ulema-state alliance and oil have all been suggested. But they are inadequate. They fail to explain Muslim countries’ heterogeneity. Why are some Muslim countries (like Indonesia) actually democratic? Why are some Muslim dictatorships so durable, while others (like Somalia) have erupted in civil war? Faisal Ahmed presents a new theory: “Conquest and Rents”. Of all the books I’ve read in 2023, this is one of the most original, insightful, and important. It radically improved my understanding of our world.

Conversations on ROCKING OUR PRIORS begin with a simple, powerful idea: that our deepest assumptions about how societies progress deserve a second look. Host Dr Alice Evans, drawing from her roles at King’s College London and the Harvard Kennedy School, doesn’t just interview leading experts-she engages them in a genuine dialogue. Each episode digs into the interconnected engines of change: economic growth, the nuances of governance, and the persistent structures of gender inequality. You’ll hear discussions that are both academic and accessible, where complex theories are tested against real-world evidence and historical patterns. The aim is to unsettle comfortable narratives and examine how transformation actually happens across different cultures. This isn't a lecture series; it's an ongoing exploration designed to challenge and refine your perspective. Tune into the podcast for thoughtful, evidence-based conversations that might just change how you see the world's most pressing social and economic questions.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

ROCKING OUR PRIORS
Podcast Episodes
Are Men & Women Scrolling Apart? John Burn-Murdoch [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:14:16
John Burn-Murdoch (the FT's Chief Data Reporter) and I discuss gendered ideological polarisation. - Does this hold worldwide? - Which groups are most polarised? - Is there a rise in hostile sexism? - Is this due to econo…
What caused the Islamic Revival? Professor Jared Rubin [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:44:23
Professor Jared Rubin has authored two superb books, “Rulers, Religion and Riches” and “How the World Became Rich”. He joined my podcast, to discuss: - Why did the Middle East Fall Behind? - What caused the shift to Scri…
"Raised to Obey": Agustina Paglayan [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:16:17
Professor Agustina Paglayan has a fascinating new book: “Raised to Obey”! She contends that mass primary education systems were primarily established to consolidate state authority and maintain social order. But what abo…
Daron Acemoglu, V4.0: Rebooting Culture & Economics! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:48
Professor Daron Acemoglu is famous for his careful empirical research, demonstrating the economic importance of institutions. But actually, he’s done a 180 to embrace culture! In this podcast we discuss his new theory of…
How did East Asia Get Rich? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:17:03
Dr Oliver Kim has completed his PhD at Berkeley, recently appointed at Open Philanthropy. He does awesome research, carefully examining the drivers of structural transformation. We discussed: Why do you think East Asia i…
Netflix and Change: Tracking Cultural Flux in Autocracies [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:39
“Vikings is no. 1 from all the Saudi men 😂”. Leila chuckled as we browsed top hits on Netflix. For only 30 Riyals (8 USD) a month, Saudis can tune into stories about uncovered pagans. A global feast of delights are now o…
Culture isn't a fossil, it's a fist-fight! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:29
Culture is not a static inheritance, but a dynamic arena of ongoing struggle. From the mosques of Jakarta to the classrooms of Louisiana, from TikTok feeds to university lecture halls, ideological warfare rages. This pod…
PRESTIGE BIAS [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:18
Imagine: Elon Musk's tweet causes a cryptocurrency frenzy. Kim Kardashian’s outfit becomes an overnight fashion sensation. Daron Acemoglu and colleagues’ paper on settler mortality reshapes economic thinking. The Pope’s…