Governments create poverty, only they can end it By Wed May 05 2021 Poverty, absolute poverty, is often the consequence of choices made by governments. Over time, only the things that governments tolerate that stand. So, where absolute poverty is the hallmark of a nation, the governments have failed in their obligations to their citizens. Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson in their 2013 book, Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity and Poverty, argue that nations are rich or poor depending on the political and economic institutions operating in them. “Countries differ in their economic success because of their different institutions, the rules influencing how the economy works, and the incentives that motivate people,” these authors point out. The duo spent 15 years researching the subject matter.