--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: While part of the appeal of authoritarian…" description: "\"“While part of the appeal of authoritarian growth comes as a reaction to the Washington consensus, perhaps its greater charm—certainly to the rulers pr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f8/daron-acemo-lu-4415_power_while-part-of-the-appeal-of-authoritaria_1674178.jpg" --- # While part of the appeal of authoritarian growth comes as… ![“While part of the appeal of authoritarian growth comes as a reaction to the Washington consensus, perhaps its greater charm—certainly to the rulers presiding over extractive institutions—is that it gives them free rein in maintaining and even strengthening their hold on power and legitimizes their…” quote by Daron Acemoğlu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f8/daron-acemo-lu-4415_power_while-part-of-the-appeal-of-authoritaria_1674178.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f8/daron-acemo-lu-4415_power_while-part-of-the-appeal-of-authoritaria_1674178.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f8/daron-acemo-lu-4415_power_while-part-of-the-appeal-of-authoritaria_1674178.jpg) > ““While part of the appeal of authoritarian growth comes as a reaction to the Washington consensus, perhaps its greater charm—certainly to the rulers presiding over extractive institutions—is that it gives them free rein in maintaining and even strengthening their hold on power and legitimizes their extraction.”” [Daron Acemoğlu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daron-acemo-lu/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Authoritarian regimes thrive by exploiting the Washington consensus, offering rulers unchecked power to extract resources and legitimize their dominance. **In simple terms:** Powerful leaders use crises to tighten control and enrich themselves. Key Takeaway Beware of power that bypasses accountability. Themes politics economics authoritarianism exploitation Mood cautious critical Type analytical political When to use this quote - democratic reform - anti‑corruption measures - public awareness campaigns Key Concepts institutional capture resource extraction legitimacy policy design Questions to Reflect On - How can societies resist extractionist policies? - What safeguards protect against power abuse? A Different Perspective Such regimes may claim stability while suppressing freedoms. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Authoritarian Growth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authoritarian-growth-891272/) [Extractive Institutions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extractive-institutions-891273/) [Growth Comes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growth-comes-696244/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Power Legitimizes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-legitimizes-891274/) [Presiding Extractive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presiding-extractive-891275/) ## Related quotes > [“BOTSWANA, CHINA, and the U.S. South, just like the Glorious Revolution in England, the French Revolution, and the Meiji Restoration in Japan, are vivid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daron-acemo-lu/botswana-china-and-the-u-s-south-just-like-the-glorious-revolution-in/) [Daron Acemoğlu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daron-acemo-lu/) > [“The solution to the economic and political failure of nations today is to transform their extractive institutions toward inclusive ones. The vicious circle means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daron-acemo-lu/the-solution-to-the-economic-and-political-failure-of-nations-today/) [Daron Acemoğlu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daron-acemo-lu/) > [“Because elites dominating extractive institutions fear creative destruction, they will resist it, and any growth that germinates under extractive institutions will be ultimately short…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daron-acemo-lu/because-elites-dominating-extractive-institutions-fear-creative/) [Daron Acemoğlu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daron-acemo-lu/) > [“The most important lesson is that extractive institutions cannot generate sustained technological change for two reasons: the lack of economic incentives and resistance by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daron-acemo-lu/the-most-important-lesson-is-that-extractive-institutions-cannot/) [Daron Acemoğlu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daron-acemo-lu/) > [“Extractive institutions are so common in history because they have a powerful logic: they can generate some limited prosperity while at the same time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daron-acemo-lu/extractive-institutions-are-so-common-in-history-because-they-have-a/) [Daron Acemoğlu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daron-acemo-lu/) > [“The synergies between extractive economic and political institutions create a vicious circle, where extractive institutions, once in place, tend to persist. Similarly, there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daron-acemo-lu/the-synergies-between-extractive-economic-and-political-institutions/) [Daron Acemoğlu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daron-acemo-lu/) > [“World inequality today exists because during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries some nations were able to take advantage of the Industrial Revolution and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daron-acemo-lu/world-inequality-today-exists-because-during-the-nineteenth-and/) [Daron Acemoğlu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daron-acemo-lu/) > [“We call such institutions, which have opposite properties to those we call inclusive, extractive economic institutions—extractive because such institutions are designed to extract incomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daron-acemo-lu/we-call-such-institutions-which-have-opposite-properties-to-those-we/) [Daron Acemoğlu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daron-acemo-lu/) > [“NATIONS FAIL TODAY because their extractive economic institutions do not create the incentives needed for people to save, invest, and innovate. Extractive political institutions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daron-acemo-lu/nations-fail-today-because-their-extractive-economic-institutions-do/) [Daron Acemoğlu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daron-acemo-lu/) > [“Though the extractive institutions that the Mayas created produced sufficient wealth for the cities to flourish and the elite to become wealthy and generate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daron-acemo-lu/though-the-extractive-institutions-that-the-mayas-created-produced/) [Daron Acemoğlu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daron-acemo-lu/) > [“Lack of creative destruction and innovation is not the only reason why there are severe limits to growth under extractive institutions. The history of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daron-acemo-lu/lack-of-creative-destruction-and-innovation-is-not-the-only-reason/) [Daron Acemoğlu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daron-acemo-lu/) > [“Growth comes in the aftermath of failure, not wild success.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-demuth/growth-comes-in-the-aftermath-of-failure-not-wild-success/) [Mary DeMuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-demuth/) > [You learn nothing form your successes except to think too much of yourself. It is from failure that all growth comes, provided you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-hock/you-learn-nothing-form-your-successes-except-to-think-too-much-of/) [Dee Hock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-hock/) > [I've found that instability from growth comes in waves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-schaaf/i-ve-found-that-instability-from-growth-comes-in-waves/) [Alan Schaaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-schaaf/) > [The very things we wish to avoid, neglect and flee from turn out to be the 'prima materia' from which all real growth comes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-harvey/the-very-things-we-wish-to-avoid-neglect-and-flee-from-turn-out-to-be/) [Andrew Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-harvey/) ## More by Daron Acemoğlu > [“AUSTRALIA, LIKE THE UNITED STATES, experienced a different path to inclusive institutions than the one taken by England. The same revolutions that shook England…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daron-acemo-lu/australia-like-the-united-states-experienced-a-different-path-to/) [Daron Acemoğlu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daron-acemo-lu/) > [“As such, the usual pattern of interaction between a critical juncture and existing institutional differences leading to further institutional and economic divergence played out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daron-acemo-lu/as-such-the-usual-pattern-of-interaction-between-a-critical-juncture/) [Daron Acemoğlu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daron-acemo-lu/) > [“Lack of creative destruction and innovation is not the only reason why there are severe limits to growth under extractive institutions. 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Even the poorest citizens of the United States have incomes and access to health…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daron-acemo-lu/there-are-huge-differences-in-living-standards-around-the-world-even/) [Daron Acemoğlu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daron-acemo-lu/) > [“The Maya’s economy was based on extensive occupational specialization, with skilled potters, weavers, woodworkers, and tool and ornament makers. 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Extractive political institutions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daron-acemo-lu/nations-fail-today-because-their-extractive-economic-institutions-do/) [Daron Acemoğlu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daron-acemo-lu/) > [“The geography hypothesis claims that the great divide between rich and poor countries is created by geographical differences. Many poor countries, such as those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daron-acemo-lu/the-geography-hypothesis-claims-that-the-great-divide-between-rich/) [Daron Acemoğlu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daron-acemo-lu/) > [“Politics is the process by which a society chooses the rules that will govern it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daron-acemo-lu/politics-is-the-process-by-which-a-society-chooses-the-rules-that/) [Daron Acemoğlu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daron-acemo-lu/) > [“The pattern of vicious circle depicted by the transition between Haile Selassie and Mengistu, or between the British colonial governors of Sierra Leone and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daron-acemo-lu/the-pattern-of-vicious-circle-depicted-by-the-transition-between/) [Daron Acemoğlu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daron-acemo-lu/) > [“NATIONS FAIL TODAY because their extractive economic institutions do not create the incentives needed for people to save, invest, and innovate. Extractive political institutions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daron-acemo-lu/nations-fail-today-because-their-extractive-economic-institutions-do-2/) [Daron Acemoğlu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daron-acemo-lu/) > [Inclusive economic institutions require secure property rights and economic opportunities not just for the elite but for a broad cross-section of society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daron-acemo-lu/inclusive-economic-institutions-require-secure-property-rights-and/) [Daron Acemoglu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daron-acemo-lu/) > [“Inequality in the modern world largely results from the uneven dissemination and adoption of technologies,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daron-acemo-lu/inequality-in-the-modern-world-largely-results-from-the-uneven/) [Daron Acemoğlu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daron-acemo-lu/) [Explore all 107 Daron Acemoğlu quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daron-acemo-lu/) ## More Power quotes > [We have to get control of our borders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-coffman/we-have-to-get-control-of-our-borders/) [Mike Coffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-coffman/) > [For us who are now in power, we need to be challenged to serve the people and ignore our own egos and personal interests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangari-maathai/for-us-who-are-now-in-power-we-need-to-be-challenged-to-serve-the/) [Wangari Maathai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangari-maathai/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I want the municipality to be a helping hand to the man with a desire of sympathy, to help the fallen when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burns/i-want-the-municipality-to-be-a-helping-hand-to-the-man-with-a-desire/) [John Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burns/) > [You can draw power from everything in your life. In order to do that, everything has to be set up in a proper way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/you-can-draw-power-from-everything-in-your-life-in-order-to-do-that/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [The one means that wins the easiest victory over reason is terror and force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/the-one-means-that-wins-the-easiest-victory-over-reason-is-terror-and/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [DECIDE, v.i. To succumb to the preponderance of one set of influences over another set.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/decide-v-i-to-succumb-to-the-preponderance-of-one-set-of-influences/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Movies have power. Power to impact society and the choices we make. 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