01 / recommendation
Likes different parts of the DRC.
“Actually, what I really enjoy is just going back to the different parts of the DRC, kind of on a regular basis.”
- Speaker
- Nathan Nunn
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler
Conversations with Tyler / episode intelligence
Nathan Nunn on the Paths to Development
Speakers in the public record
Claim mix
belief 7evaluation 6prediction 2recommendation 1commitment 1uncertainty 1
Evidence policy
Every row below preserves an exact excerpt. Identified speakers are linked; unresolved voices are labeled and excluded from people counts.
Claim ledger
The useful parts, with receipts.
18 published records
02 / belief
In some ways, that forces you, for better or for worse, to think differently, or think independently relative to what’s going on within the US. I think that helped me during grad school, actually.
“In some ways, that forces you, for better or for worse, to think differently, or think independently relative to what’s going on within the US. I think that helped me during grad school, actually.”
- Speaker
- Nathan Nunn
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler
03 / belief
I think that’s what that’s picking up, basically, is the importance of history and how that affects culture institutions.
“I think that’s what that’s picking up, basically, is the importance of history and how that affects culture institutions.”
- Speaker
- Nathan Nunn
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler
04 / belief
Obviously, South Korea is a dramatic success story, and I think a lot of that has to do with what South Koreans viewed as important: education, working hard, allegiance to the company.
“Obviously, South Korea is a dramatic success story, and I think a lot of that has to do with what South Koreans viewed as important: education, working hard, allegiance to the company.”
- Speaker
- Nathan Nunn
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler
05 / belief
Madagascar would be another example. That’s how I think of it: they escaped all of the detrimental effects of the slave trade.
“Madagascar would be another example. That’s how I think of it: they escaped all of the detrimental effects of the slave trade.”
- Speaker
- Nathan Nunn
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler
06 / belief
I would also say, if we think of just purely economic development today in the contemporary period, I definitely don’t think it’s the case that one needs to convert to Christianity to be successful.
“I would also say, if we think of just purely economic development today in the contemporary period, I definitely don’t think it’s the case that one needs to convert to Christianity to be successful.”
- Speaker
- Nathan Nunn
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler
07 / belief
If we think of South Africa, obviously, having common language with European countries is going to be important.
“If we think of South Africa, obviously, having common language with European countries is going to be important.”
- Speaker
- Nathan Nunn
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler
08 / belief
I would say there are these latent characteristics that aren’t reflected in per capita income, which are important for subsequent development.
“I would say there are these latent characteristics that aren’t reflected in per capita income, which are important for subsequent development.”
- Speaker
- Nathan Nunn
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler
09 / evaluation
I think everything you said is exactly right, and that’s the omitted factor, is that, ironically, places which otherwise would have been the best places to live were also the places for which you were most exposed to the slave trade.
“I think everything you said is exactly right, and that’s the omitted factor, is that, ironically, places which otherwise would have been the best places to live were also the places for which you were most exposed to the slave trade.”
- Speaker
- Nathan Nunn
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler
10 / prediction
If I think about West Africa for a minute, putting aside Eastern African slave trade, it seems to me the wealthiest areas, the places people actually want to live, are on the coast.
“If I think about West Africa for a minute, putting aside Eastern African slave trade, it seems to me the wealthiest areas, the places people actually want to live, are on the coast.”
- Speaker
- Tyler Cowen
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler
11 / prediction
I don’t think that we know intimately, or in great detail, why is it that a history of state formation or having successful states or empires is correlated with economic success in state formation today. But I think that would be the standard answer that your average Africanist or growth economist would give.
“I don’t think that we know intimately, or in great detail, why is it that a history of state formation or having successful states or empires is correlated with economic success in state formation today. But I think that would be the standard answer that your average Africanist or growth economist would give.”
- Speaker
- Nathan Nunn
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler
12 / evaluation
I think that analogy, if you apply it to any country and any country’s experience, goes a long way to understanding why countries are moving often in opposite directions than what we would think.
“I think that analogy, if you apply it to any country and any country’s experience, goes a long way to understanding why countries are moving often in opposite directions than what we would think.”
- Speaker
- Nathan Nunn
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler
13 / evaluation
Because you and Melissa understand persistence, and you will pick the winners, on average, somewhat better than the hedge fund manager.
“Because you and Melissa understand persistence, and you will pick the winners, on average, somewhat better than the hedge fund manager.”
- Speaker
- Tyler Cowen
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler
14 / evaluation
In other words, we never learn — and I don’t know of any courses that teach development economists, when you go to a society, how do you interact with people and ask questions face to face?
“In other words, we never learn — and I don’t know of any courses that teach development economists, when you go to a society, how do you interact with people and ask questions face to face?”
- Speaker
- Nathan Nunn
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler
15 / evaluation
Personally, I think there seems to be more evidence for the historical view, although I don’t know that that one story explains everything.
“Personally, I think there seems to be more evidence for the historical view, although I don’t know that that one story explains everything.”
- Speaker
- Nathan Nunn
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler
16 / commitment
I think I shaped my worldview in terms of opportunity, thinking about opportunity, thinking about policies that affect mobility, thinking about policies that affect inequality. And the reason is, I have experience growing up in a family that was definitely lower income or very low income and having some insight into what that does to you psychologically, how difficult it is to get out of that environment.
“I think I shaped my worldview in terms of opportunity, thinking about opportunity, thinking about policies that affect mobility, thinking about policies that affect inequality. And the reason is, I have experience growing up in a family that was definitely lower income or very low income and having some insight into what that does to you psychologically, how difficult it is to get out of that environment.”
- Speaker
- Nathan Nunn
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler
17 / evaluation
I think there’s a lot of implicit bias towards Africans, African Americans, which comes out in media and movies or television shows. So I like those because those were empowering and showed African cultures in a positive light.
“I think there’s a lot of implicit bias towards Africans, African Americans, which comes out in media and movies or television shows. So I like those because those were empowering and showed African cultures in a positive light.”
- Speaker
- Nathan Nunn
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler
18 / uncertainty
I don’t know of any actual studies that look at growth rates in the past and growth rates today because you’re going to have convergence and all these sorts of things.
“I don’t know of any actual studies that look at growth rates in the past and growth rates today because you’re going to have convergence and all these sorts of things.”
- Speaker
- Nathan Nunn
- Publisher
- Conversations with Tyler