The Dilemmas of an Economist's Free Lunch
Industrial Revolutions
University Scholars 203
Economics majors may request that it be counted as equivalent to Economics 214.
Throughout history mankind's problem was that we ate up the free lunches technology granted us. As a result, one century looked much like the one before, and the one after. But along the way there was a revolution. When did it take place, though, and what sort of revolution was it? If we can do that, we'd like to ask the much harder question of causation...
This course will meet M-W-F at noon (E Hour) in Huntley Hall 220 (conference room next to the lounge). I will gradually put up a web site. For now here is basic information that might save you money. An extended course description and syllabus will be posted by the start of class. Below is (i) a list of texts, (ii) a course overvew and (iii) a detailed outline. However this does not yet have a schedule, nor have outside speakers etc been worked in.
For reference, here is the web site for an OLD version of this course.
Here are the texts on order for the fall. Some are available used from on-line retailers or as eBooks.
| ISBN | Title | Authors |
| 87474-539-X | Engines of Change | Hindle, Brooke; Lubar, Steven |
| 0691120137 | The Gifts of Athena | Mokyr, Joel |
| 0553585975 | Wealth of Nations | Smith, Adam |
| 0717802418 | Communist Manifesto | Marx, Karl; Engels, Friedrich |
| many editions | Protestant Ethic | Max Weber |
| ??? paperback | The Great Divergence | Pomeranz, Kenneth |
| 0812504828 | Robinson Crusoe | Defoe, Daniel |
Overview
For most of human history, one century looks much like the one before it. There were changes in the nature of daily life, but little evidence of sustained improvements in health and longevity. By the middle of the 19th century, that was no longer the case; a new concept, "progress," had not only entered the intellectual realm, but was tangible across much of Europe. Karl Marx was perhaps not the first, but certainly was the most eloquent to describe it, in his paean to industrialization in the Communist Manifesto. But was "industrialization" really so central? -- the timing of the diffusion of the steam engine and other "revolutionary" inventions does not match that of changes in income and other indicators. We've much work ahead of us, to puzzle out what happened, if not why.
Content
To understand a revolution entails many steps. First, we must be careful to define the issues. Second, and not independent of the first, we must develop analytic approaches. These can be the formal models of "high" theory, or more in the way of expository or organizational principles for the story we try to tell or the data we want to examine. In addition, we can focus on proximate issues, or seek for "deep" theory and ultimate causes. Third, of course, we must work with data, and analyze it (or, in the spirit of the above, at least lay it out in an orderly narrative). Finally, we have to evaluate what we have done -- which, of course, is a function of our definitions, and theory, and our collective standards of what constitutes a compelling case or at least a good yarn.
Now economists have their tools and their mindset, and this term we will make use of those tools and expose you to the "economic" way of thinking. But the overall topic is too broad to fit into a single framework. Parts, perhaps, can be comfortably pigeonholed into the boxes economists build, but only parts. I will insist that you identify and explore issues on your own.
The economist's approach can be summed up in two words: compound growth. To these must be added six more: which grows faster, output or population? Here is my current take on things; it will change as the term evolves. But at least for the first half of the term, until you develop your own projects, it's what we'll do. See however the attached list of potential projects below; it is not a comprehensive list, merely one to set you thinking. We not only want to try to define our revolution, but we also want to ask what it's wrought -- in countries and societies (history!), in culture, and in individual lives.
Methodology
My first take: