Skip to content

Merchants and Mechanics

Exploring the History of Economic Growth

Category: political institutions

Feudalism

Feudalism

March 19, 2018December 28, 2022 Posted in economic institutions, history of economic growth, history of trade and commerce, political institutions, property rights

In the Middle Ages, much of Europe was sparsely populated. People lived in small settlements separated by lawless wilderness, so they had to be self-reliant.

The Emergence of European States

The Emergence of European States

March 10, 2018May 15, 2023 Posted in political institutions

The first states showed signs of constitutional government, but the fifteenth-century military revolution caused some states to veer towards authoritarianism.

Why was Science So Successful in Europe?

Why was Science So Successful in Europe?

March 5, 2018March 8, 2023 Posted in history of science, political institutions, property rights, social institutions

The rapid progress of European science was not inevitable. It was facilitated by Europe’s legal institutions, in particular, by the concept of jurisdiction.

Impediments to Science in China and the Islamic World

Impediments to Science in China and the Islamic World

February 26, 2018December 28, 2022 Posted in history of science, political institutions, social institutions

Chinese scientists could not free themselves from the demands of the emperor, and Islamic scientists could not free themselves from the demands of Islam.

Economic Ideology and the Glorious Revolution

Economic Ideology and the Glorious Revolution

January 29, 2018May 12, 2023 Posted in economic institutions, history of economic growth, history of trade and commerce, political institutions, property rights, social institutions

At the time of the Glorious Revolution, an ideology that emphasized the value of labour pushed aside an ideology that justified the power of the landowners.

A History of Religious Toleration

A History of Religious Toleration

January 24, 2018December 28, 2022 Posted in political institutions, social institutions

The struggle for religious toleration began in the sixteenth century. Its advocates risked their livelihoods, their freedom, and even their lives.

The Scientific Revolution, the Enlightenment, and the Industrial Revolution

The Scientific Revolution, the Enlightenment, and the Industrial Revolution

December 25, 2017February 19, 2023 Posted in economic institutions, history of economic growth, history of science, history of technology, Industrial Revolution, political institutions, property rights

The Industrial Revolution was one aspect of a dramatic change in the way that people thought of themselves and the world in which they lived.

The Nineteenth-Century Rules for Growth

The Nineteenth-Century Rules for Growth

December 15, 2017May 26, 2023 Posted in history of economic growth, history of trade and commerce, political institutions, social institutions

Britain’s first-mover advantage meant that other countries could not compete with it under free markets. They responded with a variety of protective policies.

Why Nations Fail: 
Extractive and Inclusive Institutions

Why Nations Fail: 
Extractive and Inclusive Institutions

November 27, 2017February 19, 2023 Posted in economic institutions, political institutions, property rights, technological progress

Acemoglu and Robinson argue that a country’s prosperity is determined by its political and economic institutions. Casual empiricism supports their argument.

Why Nations Fail:
 Theory is Tidy, History is Messy

Why Nations Fail:
 Theory is Tidy, History is Messy

November 20, 2017December 28, 2022 Posted in economic institutions, history of economic growth, history of trade and commerce, Industrial Revolution, political institutions, property rights, technological progress

Evidence from the Industrial Revolution does not support Acemoglu and Robinson’s claim that the transition to sustained growth always follows the same pattern.

Posts navigation

Previous Posts
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Contact
  • What’s New?
  • All Posts

Search

Blog at WordPress.com. Merchants and Mechanics
Merchants and Mechanics
Blog at WordPress.com.
  • Follow Following
    • Merchants and Mechanics
    • Join 52 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Merchants and Mechanics
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...