The European continent was the first place to experience modern economic growth. The resulting transformation--covering the period from 1000 to the present--began one of the most important and ongoing processes in world history, and one with far-reaching impacts for economic development and political union. The first part of this course focuses on the preconditions for growth--including the institutional and technological determinants of Europe's divergence from the rest of the world. The second part examines Europe's role in the integration of the global economy starting with the Industrial Revolution and ending with the First World War I. The final part considers the forces behind the economic and political catastrophes of the 1930s and 1940s, political and economic integration during the postwar period, and more recent changes in the European Union.
Students will (i) apply economic theory to analyze historical events, (ii) use historical data to evaluate causal arguments, (iii) examine the relationship between economic growth and political development, and (iv) put contemporary challenges facing European countries in historical context. At the end of the course, students will have a better understanding of the emergence of modern economic growth, the role of institutions and other factors in explaining growth, and prospects for growth in Europe today.
All materials (lectures, required readings, etc) will be available on this page. You should complete readings before we cover the topic in class. The books An Economic History of Europe by Karl Gunnar Persson and Paul Sharp and The European Economy since 1945 by Barry Eichengreen are required.
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Economic Growth in the Very Long Run
- Broadberry & Wallis, "Growing, Shrinking, and Long-Run Economic Performance"
- Clark, Farewell to Alms
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The Economy of the Ancient World
- Temin, "The Economy of the Early Roman Empire"
- Bowes, Surviving Rome
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Political Instability in Medieval Times
- Persson & Sharp, An Economic History of Europe, chapter 2
- Wickham, The Inheritance of Rome
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Disease, the Black Death and the Renaissance
- Persson & Sharp, An Economic History of Europe, chapter 4
- Harper, "People, Plagues, and Prices in the Roman World"
- Campbell, The Great Transition
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Institutions, Legitimacy and Economic Development
- Persson & Sharp, An Economic History of Europe, chapter 5
- Rubin, Rulers, Religion, and Riches
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The Enlightenment, Science, and Useful Ideas
- Persson & Sharp, An Economic History of Europe, chapter 6
- Mokyr, The Culture of Growth
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The Industrial Revolution
- Voth, "Time and Work in Eighteenth-Century London"
- Feinstein, "Pessimism Perpetuated"
- Allen, The British Industrial Revolution in Global Perspective
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Globalization and Empire
- O'Rourke & Williamson, "After Columbus"
- Findlay & O'Rourke, Power and Plenty
- Rudyard Kipling, "The White Man’s Burden"
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World War I
- Persson & Sharp, An Economic History of Europe, chapter 9
- Ritschl, "The Anglo-German Industrial Productivity Puzzle, 1895–1935"
- Norman Angell, The Great Illusion
- Tooze, The Deluge
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Interwar Macroeconomics
- Eichengreen and Irwin, "The Slide to Protectionism in the Great Depression"
- Eichengreen, Golden Fetters
- John Maynard Keynes, The Economics Consequences of the Peace
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World War II
- Eichengreen, The European Economy since 1945, chapters 1 and 2
- Friedrich Hayek, "The Use of Knowledge in Society"
- O'Grada, The Hidden Victims
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The Postwar Golden Age
- Eichengreen, The European Economy since 1945, chapters 3 and 4
- Offer, The Challenge of Affluence
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The European Union
- Eichengreen, The European Economy since 1945, chapters 6 and 11
- Results from the UK Growth Survey 2025
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The End of History
- Persson & Sharp, An Economic History of Europe, chapter 12
- Eichengreen, The European Economy since 1945, chapter 12
- Fukuyama, The End of History
attendance: Attendance is required. Missing more than three classes will result in a full letter grade reduction of your final grade (e.g., an "A" becomes a "B"). Each additional three classes missed will result in a further letter grade reduction of your final grade.
literature review (10%): Students are required to find a research article published in the Journal of Economic History, Explorations in Economic History, or Economic History Review for each topic. Students must identify table or figure from the article, give a brief description of the table or figure, and provide a proper citation.
book review (15%): Students are required to write a short in-class essay on an approved book related to one of the course topics. Students must provide evidence that they came into physical contact with the book. The in-class essay will take the form of a review summarizing the thesis and analyzing a key empirical claim.
analysis (15%): Students are required to propose a question or hypothesis and then use data (e.g., Maddison Project Database, Penn World Table) to answer the question or test the hypothesis. Students must download a data series, construct a figure or table, and discuss how it is useful for addressing their question or hypothesis.
exams (60% total = 25% midterm + 35% final): There will be one in-class midterm exam and a final exam on the date and time set by the University. All exams are cumulative.
I encourage you to attend office hours or to setup a time to meet outside of office hours. You should come to office hours prepared with questions or ready to discuss course material. Office hours are the appropriate forum for addressing questions about course material or policies. Use email to setup a time to meet outside of office hours, if necessary.