On January 14, 2025, the IP Paris Department of Economics hosted the “2025 IP Paris Economics Nobel Lecture,” a seminar dedicated to discussing the groundbreaking contributions of the 2025 Nobel laureates in Economic Sciences. This year, the prestigious prize was awarded to Daron Acemoglu (MIT, USA), Simon Johnson (MIT, USA), and James A. Robinson (University of Chicago, USA), for their pivotal research on how institutions are formed and how they affect prosperity.
The Laureates’ Contributions
Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson, and James A. Robinson’s research has fundamentally reshaped our understanding of the interplay between political institutions and economic development. Their work examines how institutions—such as political systems, legal frameworks, and property rights—emerge and influence prosperity. In their seminal studies, including the influential book Why Nations Fail, the trio demonstrates that inclusive institutions foster innovation, investment, and equitable growth, whereas extractive institutions perpetuate inequality and hinder progress. Their findings emphasize the critical role of history in shaping institutions and highlight pathways to fostering development.
The Lecture Highlights
The event featured four insightful presentations by researchers affiliated with CREST and IP Paris, each focusing on a specific aspect of the laureates’ contributions:
Pauline Rossi (CREST, Ecole polytechnique, Institut Polytechnique de Paris): “Acemoglu, Johnson and Robinson’s Contribution to Development Economics”, exploring how institutions, history, and geography shape long-term economic development.
Pierre Boyer (CREST, Ecole polytechnique, Institut Polytechnique de Paris): “Acemoglu, Johnson and Robinson’s Contribution to Political Economy”, examining redistributive politics, the role of economics in political systems, and politically feasible tax reforms.
Héloïse Cloléry (Bocconi University, previously PhD at CREST, Institut Polytechnique de Paris): “Acemoglu, Johnson and Robinson’s Contribution to Political Economy: The Narrow Corridor”, discussing the emergence of inclusive institutions, state capacity variations, and strategies to strengthen governance.
Matías Núñez (CREST, CNRS, Institut Polytechnique de Paris): “Acemoglu, Johnson and Robinson’s Contribution to Political Economy: Political Regime Transitions and Extension of the Franchise”, analyzing societal decisions on governance models, conflicts between elites and citizens, and historical case studies.
Watch the Lecture Online
The video of the seminar is now available on our YouTube channel. Be sure to watch to gain deeper insights into the laureates’ contributions and the engaging discussions that followed.