ECN 110A - World Economic History – Pre-History to the Industrial Revolution

DESCRIPTION

This course looks at the nature and development of economies in the years before the end of the Industrial Revolution by 1870. It will examine how the pre-industrial economy, sometimes called the “Malthusian Economy,” functioned. It will explain how this functioning was dramatically different from modern economies. Finally it will consider why the breakthrough to modern growth, the Industrial Revolution, was delayed till 1800. Examples from all around the world will be used, including Polynesia, China and Japan.

SCHEDULE

Below is the schedule for the quarter. The lectures will all be videotaped, and made available on this website within 2 days of each class, with the link under each lecture. Thus those of you who are not early risers can get access to the lectures at your leisure.

Week of	Monday	Wednesday	Friday

Mar 30	Lecture 1	Lecture 2	Lecture 3
Apr 6	Lecture 4	Lecture 5	Lecture 6
Apr 13	Lecture 7	Lecture 8	Lecture 9
Apr 20	Lecture 10	Lecture 11	Midterm 1
Apr 27	Lecture 12	Lecture 13	Lecture 14
May 4	Lecture 15	Lecture 16	Lecture 17
May 11	Lecture 18	Lecture 19	Midterm 2
May 18	Lecture 20	Lecture 21	Lecture 22
May 25	Memorial Day	Lecture 23	Lecture 24
Jun 1	Lecture 25	Lecture 26	-

FINAL, Mon 8 June, 8-10 am Sample Final

READINGS

The text for this course is my book, A Farewell to Alms: A Brief Economic History of the World (Princeton University Press, 2007). This is available from the bookstore. There will also be weekly supplementary readings posted to the syllabus on my web site. Some will be on more technical material, such as mathematical models of growth. Others will be case studies illustrating points in the book. All of these are available through the links below.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

There will two midterms and a final exam. Anyone registered for the course has to be available to take the midterms and final as scheduled. The grades for the class will be composed as follows:

Midterm 1: 25%

Midterm 2: 25%

Final 50%

In line with Economics Department policy the average GPA for the class will be 2.7.

MISSED MIDTERM

Everyone should do both midterms. That will minimize the randomness in your grade assignment for the class and maximize your preparation for the final, which will be comprehensive. If, however, you need to miss either midterm for any reason – illness, a sports event, a crucial interview – then I will just reweight the other midterm and the final so that the other midterm is one third of the weight for the class grade and the final two thirds.

PROBLEM SETS

Problems on each chapter will be posted through the links below. The TAs will go over these questions as well as the supplementary material in the review sections.

OUTLINE

Ch	Topic	Pages
1.	Introduction Jared Diamond – The Worst Mistake in the History of the Human Race	1-18

The Malthusian Trap: Economic Life to 1800
2.	The Logic of the Malthusian Economy Questions on Chapter 2 Caplan Critiques the Malthusian Model Clark Responds Caplan Second Round Clark Second Round	19-39
3.	Material Living Standards Questions on Chapter 3 Bessino and Ma on Japan Allen (pp 1-6)	40-70
4.	Fertility Questions on Chapter 4	71-90
5.	Life Expectancy Questions of Chapter 5	91-111
6.	Malthus and Darwin: Survival of the Richest Questions of Chapter 6 Surnames, Genetic Selection and Social Mobility	112-132
7.	Technological Advance Growth Accounting	133-144
8.	Institutions Malawi vs Sweden North and Thomas North and Weingast	145-165
9.	The Emergence of Modern Man	166-192

The Industrial Revolution
10.	Modern Growth: the Wealth of Nations Growth Accounting	193-207
11.	The Problem of the Industrial Revolution	208-229
12.	The English Industrial Revolution	230-258
13	Why England? Why not China, Japan, or India?	259-271
14	Social Consequences of the Industrial Revolution Questions on Chapter 14	272-302