The Time-Travelling Economist - Charlie Robertson

The Time-Travelling Economist: Why Education, Electricity and Fertility Are Key to Escaping Poverty by Charlie Robertson

In The Time-Travelling Economist, Charlie Robertson takes readers on a practical journey through history to explain how nations escape poverty. By comparing today’s developing countries with now-rich nations at earlier stages, he shows that progress follows clear, repeatable patterns.

Focusing on education, access to electricity, and falling fertility rates, Robertson argues that development is not mysterious or accidental—it is measurable and achievable. Data-driven yet readable, this book offers a hopeful, grounded perspective on growth, especially relevant for Africa and emerging economies. Buy in Kenya from Readers’ Republik with fast delivery.

What you’ll learn

• Why education is the strongest driver of long-term growth

• How electricity access transforms productivity and living standards

• The link between fertility rates and economic progress

• What history teaches us about modern development paths

• Why optimism about growth can be evidence-based

Who should read the book

• Readers interested in development economics

• Policymakers, entrepreneurs, and planners

• Students of economics and public policy

• Anyone curious about how countries actually grow

Why buy The Time-Travelling Economist from Readers’ Republik

• Fast and reliable delivery across Kenya

• Thoughtfully curated economics and policy titles

• Supporting a Kenyan-owned online bookstore