James A. Robinson

Facts

Photo of James A. Robinson

© Nobel Prize Outreach. Photo: Clément Morin

James A. Robinson
Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel 2024

Born: 1960

Affiliation at the time of the award: University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

Prize motivation: “for studies of how institutions are formed and affect prosperity”

Prize share: 1/3

Work

There are vast differences in prosperity between nations. One important explanation for this is persistent differences in societal institutions. By examining the various political and economic systems introduced by European colonisers, James A. Robinson, Daron Acemoglu and Simon Johnson have been able to demonstrate a relationship between institutions and prosperity. They have also developed theoretical tools that can explain why differences in institutions persist and how institutions can change.

To cite this section
MLA style: James Robinson – Facts – 2024. NobelPrize.org. Nobel Prize Outreach 2025. Sat. 6 Dec 2025. <https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/economic-sciences/2024/robinson/facts/>

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