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How wars, plagues, and urban disease propelled Europe’s rise to riches
- jacquesm 17y agoThis article almost reads like a synopsis of 'guns, germs and steel' by Jared Diamond.
- bayareaguy 17y agoWhile the article claims to explain the emergence of a income gap by the presence of war and disease, I believe it only shows how easily arguments based on simplistic economic theories can confuse correlation with causation.
- kingkongrevenge 17y agoThis only explains why Europeans had a relatively higher standard of living over the centuries. It does not offer an explanation for why Europe shot ahead of the rest of the world spectacularly in the 19th century. That question is addressed in A Farewell to Alms. It will never get much popular air time because the conclusion is basically eugenic forces. The most economically productive people had the most children in Europe, and this was not true in the rest of the world.
- foldr 17y agoSee here for a critical review of the book: http://www.firstthings.com/print/article/2007/09/001-economics-as-eugenics-41?keepThis=true&TB_iframe=true&height=500&width=700 http://www.firstthings.com/print/article/2007/09/001-economi...