BAEcon Economics

We will cover the economic (and when relevant, political) development of different societies in the past, with a focus on Europe but a comparative (and quantitative) dimension also present whenever possible.

Students will apply economic analysis to understand the past. But they will also realise 
how the past can itself be informative about economics as a discipline. By studying the economic aspects of past in a rigorous manner, students will develop a deeper understanding of not just history, but also the present. It will become clear to them which features of the modern world are recent, and which have been always with us. These skills will prepare them for a range of careers requiring knowledge of economic analysis and historical change, such as business administration or policy advising.

Students will develop presentation and interpersonal skills through participation in tutorial sessions.

(ECON10221 OR ECON10331 OR ECON10171) AND (ECON10252 OR ECON10241 OR ECON10181) AND (ECON10072A OR ECON10072B OR SOST10062)

Students completing this course unit will be prepared for a range of careers requiring knowledge of economic analysis and historical change, such as business administration or policy advising. They will have learned to present an argument coherently in discussions and debates as well as in written form. 

Provisional

Topic 1: Introduction (1 lecture).  
Topic 2: Demography (1 lecture).  
Topic 3: Geography (1 lecture).  
Topic 4: Culture (1 lecture).  
Topic 5: Institutions (1 lecture).  
Topic 6: Colonisation (1 lecture).  
Topic 7: Why did Northwestern Europe become rich first? (1 lecture). Topic 8: Britain's Industrial Revolution (1 lecture).  
Topic 9: The rise of the modern economy (1 lecture).  
Topic 10: Industrialization and the world it created (1 lecture).  

Synchronous activities (such as Lectures or Review and Q&A sessions, and tutorials), and guided self-study.

Understand the economic (and when relevant, political) development of different societies in the past, with a focus on Europe but a comparative (and quantitative) dimension also present whenever possible

Applying economic analysis to understand the past 

Developing a deeper understanding of not just history, but also the present 

 

The ability to read economic literature, including research articles 

Producing a sustained and coherent written argument 

Presentation and interpersonal skills through participation in tutorial sessions 

Formative assessment:

Tutorial questions

Summative assessment:

40% On-campus midterm exam (in-term, 1h)

10% Research proposal and outline (500 words max) - group work  

50% Final Report and presentation (1500 words max; presentation: 15 min)  

• Tutorial feedback
• Office hours
• Revision sessions
• Feedback from research proposal

The textbook for this course is: 

• Gregory Clark (2007) A Farewell to Alms. Princeton University Press 
• Mark Koyama and Jared Rubin (2022). How the World  
• Became Rich: The Historical Origins of Economic Growth. Wiley 

In addition, students will be given two weekly research articles for the classroom discussion. 

For additional and background reading about economic history and comparative development, take a look at: 

• Larry Neal and Rondo Cameron (2016). A Concise Economic History of the World: From Paleolithic Times to the Present. Oxford University Press 
• Robert Allen (2011). Global Economic History: A Short Introduction. Oxford University Press 
• Karl G. Persson and Paul Sharp (2015). An Economic History of Europe. Cambridge University Press 
• Oded Galor (2022). The Journey of Humanity. Penguin