Power and Progress, by Daron Acemoglu and Simon Johnson

Power and Progress: Our Thousand-Year Struggle Over Technology and Prosperity (2023)

Highlights the deep connection between institutional evolution and technological change. Countries that excel do not just accelerate innovation; they adapt and evolve their societies to make the best use of that innovation for the public good. This is the historical spine of my first crisis, and it makes the case with far more evidence than a book of my scope could carry.

Read it asking: Who decided the direction of the last technological transition in your own country, and through which institution?