Today we meet with and discuss the recent work of Prof. Leandro Prados de la Escosura. We speak about the concept of economic liberty and discuss whether improvements in measures of health and education map on to GDP per capita over time.....it

The Rise and Fall of American Growth, 1870-2010

Nov 30th, 2023 46m 1s

In this episode, Prof. Robert Gordon walks us through the U.S. growth record since the Civil War. We discuss some key takeaways from his monumental 2016 book (which lends its name to this episode). We cover some key drivers of changes in standa

Interwar (Monetary) Instability

Oct 14th, 2023 50m 45s

In this episode, we sit down with Assoc. Prof. Kirsten Wandschneider to talk about the monetary disintegration that plagued the interwar period. How did countries choose to go back on the Interwar Gold Standard? How did this constrain policy ch

Making Social Spending Work

May 25th, 2023 33m 14s

Prof. Peter Lindert discusses the evidence on social spending and the economy since the nineteenth century summarized in his new book- 'Making Social Spending Work'. Why did it take so long? What are the effects of social spending on growth? Wh

The Long Economic Shadow of World War II in Europe

Oct 1st, 2021 59m 35s

In this episode, we chat with Prof. Tamás Vonyó about the long run variation in the impact of World War II across a range of European economies. We begin with discussing the comparative wartime destruction across regions (using Tamás' "5 D's")

The Great Enrichment

Sep 16th, 2021 50m 9s

Prof. Deirdre McCloskey has written prolifically on a wide range of topics. In this episode, she discusses her trilogy of books which attempt to explain what she coined 'The Great Enrichment' since the nineteenth century. We discuss the use of

Economic Experiments in Extremism

Sep 1st, 2021 45m 4s

Today, we meet Professor Hans-Joachim Voth to discuss some of his work on the economic forces around religious and political epochs characterised by extremism. We begin by reviewing the long term economic effects of the Spanish Inquisition and

Lessons from the Great Depression

Jun 29th, 2021 21m 26s

Professor Peter Temin's 'Lessons from the Great Depression' remains a standard classic three decades since its publication. In today's episode, Peter talks about the Great Depression's lessons for today's policy makers and the use of fiscal pol

The Corporation through Time: Theory, Mergers and the issues of Bigness

Jun 16th, 2021 43m 57s

This week, we hear from Prof. Naomi Lamoreaux on her work on the evolution of the corporation through time. We start with trying to define what a firm is, cover the motivations behind and the consequences of mergers. We look to a past example o

Creativity, Well-being and the Influence of Composers since 1450

Jun 1st, 2021 36m 47s

This week, Prof. Karol Jan Borowiecki discusses his research on composers' creativity and consider some of the factors that influence the process: emotions, geography and instruction. We review some of the most innovative ways that Karol's work

Bretton Woods 50 Years On

May 19th, 2021 34m 14s

Today, we meet Prof. Eric Monnet of the Paris School of Economics and discuss the monetary system that emerged after World War II- Bretton Woods. After covering how it theoretically operated, Eric takes us through the details of how it function

The Maddison Project and Counting the Consequences of Colonialism in Africa

May 5th, 2021 40m 44s

In this episode, we meet Prof. Jutta Bolt to discuss the collaborative effort of the Maddison project, which standardizes international income statistics to compare living standards over time and space. We look at some of Jutta’s research on t

BONUS: The Industrial Revolution: History, Causes and Consequences

Apr 21st, 2021 1h 8m

Professor Nicholas Crafts discusses some important developments in our interpretations of the Industrial Revolution over recent decades. We discuss how Nick's work, along with that of others, has led to a more sober interpretation of the produc

Africa in the World Economy: Growth, Shrinking and Debt

Apr 6th, 2021 33m 37s

In this episode, we meet Dr. Leigh Gardner to consider the experience of a number of former British colonies in Africa. We review the literature and Leigh's work on the cost of financing and operating former colonies and compare their debt and

The Dreadful Childhood and Long Shadow of American Slavery

Feb 16th, 2021 45m 38s

In this episode, we speak with Professor Richard Steckel on his extensive work using height, nutritional, fertility and mortality data to explain the tragic outcomes of American slave health. We discuss the marriage and fertility patterns of sl

Financial Systems and Growth

Feb 2nd, 2021 54m 12s

In this episode, Prof. Richard Sylla talks us through the process of building up a currency union in the U.S. following independence in 1776. We also consider the key ingredients for a successful "financial revolution", drawing on international

Rulers, Religion and Riches: Another Divergence...Between the West and the Middle East

Jan 19th, 2021 1h 5m

In this episode, we discuss the subtitle of Professor Jared Rubin's book: 'Why the West got Rich and the Middle East did Not.' We consider the Golden Age of Islam against the Western European backwater, facing its long dark age. Jared offers an

GDP- Great Difficulties in Producing

Dec 22nd, 2020 26m 35s

In this episode, we meet with the eminent Prof. Diane Coyle to discuss the evolution of measuring economic activity through time. When and why did the process begin and how did it evolve? What were the political motivations that drove the chang

Why Economic History?

Dec 15th, 2020 43m 33s

In this episode, we meet 'the guy who wrote the book on' why economists need economic history, Dr. Chris Colvin (Queen's University Belfast). We discuss the importance of the subject for policy makers, economists and the additional tools econom

Germany's Regional Development: 30-150 Years Since Unification

Dec 1st, 2020 40m 26s

In this episode, we meet Professor Nikolaus Wolf discuss Germany's economic development since the Napoleonic Wars with a particular focus on Regional development. We discuss trends in German economic integration, the division after World War II

India's Development Path, 1700-2010

Nov 17th, 2020 40m 6s

In this episode we look at the long run development of India's Economy (1700-2010) with Professor Bishrupniya Gupta. We consider the institutional legacy of Colonialism on matters such as education and agricultural productivity. We also discuss

Boom and Bust: Bubbles or Fires?

Nov 2nd, 2020 44m 10s

This week, we meet Professor John Turner to discuss his new book "Boom and Bust: A Global History of Financial Bubbles" with Will Quinn. We cover their original interpretation of historical bubbles using their newly developed concept of the bub

The Great Divergence, Structural Change and Economic Shrinking

Oct 19th, 2020 37m 9s

This week, Professor Stephen Broadberry shares insights from his extensive work in constructing national accounts over the very long run, to answer contemporary debates. When did the Great Divergence occur? Why does structural change matter and

Women in the Workforce (Over the Very Long Run)

Oct 5th, 2020 55m 26s

In this episode, we meet Prof. Jane Humphries and discuss her extensive research on women in the workforce. We discuss changes in the relative position of female casual workers and annually contracted workers and tackle hypotheses of the potent

Plagues, Pandemics, Policies and Perceptions

Sep 21st, 2020 42m 30s

In this episode, we meet Prof. Patrick Wallis to discuss some of his previous work on pandemics and plagues. We look at the comparative magnitudes of some of the worst disease outbreaks and discuss how the perceptions of pandemics, the norms ar