Continuous economic growth is a relatively recent phenomenon closely coupled to continuous technological and scientific innovation. Economic growth for much of

Continuous economic growth is a relatively recent phenomenon closely coupled to continuous technological and scientific innovation. Economic growth for much of the premodern era average out pretty close to zero (and on a per-capita basis, negative), since once you have put all feasible lands under cultivation and built up all possible cities, with a stagnant technological base no further growth is possible.