Knowledge, Prosperity and Economic Complexity - How Are They Connected?

Explore the intricate connections between knowledge, prosperity, and economic complexity in this thought-provoking lecture by Ricardo Hausmann. Delve into the foundations of technological progress and its relationship to scientific and productive knowledge. Examine where knowledge is embedded, how it is utilized, and the social structures it generates. Gain insights into global inequality, the dynamics of countries catching up or falling behind, and the complexities of intra-country disparities. Investigate the necessity of governments and the challenges of social cohesion through the lens of society as a social brain with distributed knowledge. Discover how complex networks are crucial for leveraging this knowledge, leading to economic complexity and its various implications. Drawing from his extensive experience in developmental economics, Hausmann offers a unique perspective that combines networks and statistical mechanics to illuminate the social dimensions of development.