Pocket Economics: Political Economy and Reforms: the popularity paradox
Do reformers have to be popular to be successful? It’s a conundrum thinkers have agonised over for centuries. Our guest, the EBRD’s Chief Economist, Sergei Guriev, looks at how the concept of political economy has evolved and discusses the dynamic between rulers, ruled and reforms. He also analyses the importance of leaders’ popularity in both democratic and authoritarian regimes and previews our next Transition Report, which focuses on inequality.