Gregory Clark ECN 110A, Spring 2014
1137 Social Science and Humanities Wellman 2, TTh 1:40-3:00
(gclark@ucdavis.edu) Web Page
Office Hours: M 1-3, 1137 SSH
TAs: Khaled Kheiravar, khkheiravar@ucdavis.edu, Office Hours W 1-3, 135 SSH
Hang-Wei (Henry) Hao, hwhao@ucdavis.edu,Office Hours T 10-12, 139 SSH
DESCRIPTION
This course details the nature and development of economies from pre-history to the Industrial Revolution. It explains how this was dramatically different from modern economies. Finally it considers what caused the Industrial Revolution, why it was in Europe, and why it was delayed till 1800.
SCHEDULE
Below is the schedule for the quarter. The lectures from this class in Spring 2009 were videotaped. These lectures are at iTunes University, and cover all the material for this quarter (except for one lecture)[ go to iTunes University, and then just search under “Gregory Clark”]. Thus if you miss a class you can catch up online.
Date |
Day in Week |
Lecture at iTunes |
Chapter |
|
|
|
|
Apr 1 |
Tue |
Introduction |
1 |
Apr 3 |
Thur |
Logic of Malthusian Model |
2 |
Apr 8 |
Tue |
Living Standards Before 1800 |
3 |
Apr 10 |
Thur |
Fertility in the Pre-Industrial World |
4 |
Apr 15 |
Tue |
Mortality in the Pre-Industrial World |
5 |
Apr 17 |
Thur |
Survival of the Richest |
6 |
Apr 22 |
Tue |
Slow Technological Advance pre 1800 |
7 |
Apr 24 |
Thur |
The Myth of Institutional Barriers |
8 |
Apr 29 |
Tue |
MIDTERM 1 |
|
May 1 |
Thur |
Social Mobility |
- |
May 6 |
Tue |
The Emergence of Modern Man |
9 |
May 8 |
Thur |
Culture and Modern Growth |
9 |
May 13 |
Tue |
Modern Growth |
10 |
May 15 |
Thur |
Modern Growth |
10 |
May 20 |
Tue |
Midterm 2 |
|
May 22 |
Thur |
Why was the Industrial Revolution delayed 100,000 years? |
11 |
May 27 |
Tue |
Theories of the Industrial Revolution |
11 |
May 29 |
Thur |
The English Industrial Revolution |
12 |
June 3 |
Tue |
England and Theories of Growth |
13 |
June 5 |
Thur |
Social Consequences of the Industrial Revolution |
14 |
June 7 |
Sat |
Final, 8-10 (Sample Final) |
- |
READINGS
The text is my book, A Farewell to Alms: A Brief Economic History of the World (Princeton University Press, 2007). There will also be weekly supplementary readings available as links to the syllabus on my web site. Some will be on more technical material, such as mathematical models of growth. Others will be case studies illustrating points in the book.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
There will be two midterms and a final. Anyone registered for the course has to be available for the scheduled final. The grade for the class will be: Midterm 1 - 25%, Midterm 2 – 25%, Final - 50%. Each midterm score will only be counted if it improves your final grade. Thus if you have to miss a midterm for any reason that is not a problem. By Economics Department policy the class average GPA will be 2.7.
PROBLEM SETS
Problems on each chapter will be posted through the links below. The TAs will go over these questions as well as the supplementary material in the review sections.
ADDITIONAL READINGS
Ch |
Topic |
Pages |
1. |
Introduction |
1-18 |
|
|
|
The Malthusian Trap: Economic Life to 1800 |
||
2. |
The Logic of the Malthusian Economy Questions on Chapter 2 |
19-39 |
3. |
Material Living Standards Questions on Chapter 3 |
40-70 |
4. |
Fertility Questions on Chapter 4 |
71-90 |
5. |
Life Expectancy Questions of Chapter 5 |
91-111 |
6. |
Malthus and Darwin: Survival of the Richest Questions of Chapter 6 |
112-132 |
7. |
Technological Advance Growth Accounting |
133-144 |
8. |
Institutions Malawi vs Sweden North and Thomas North and Weingast |
145-165 |
9. |
The Emergence of Modern Man |
166-192 |
|
|
|
The Industrial Revolution |
||
10. |
Modern Growth: the Wealth of Nations Growth Accounting |
193-207 |
11. |
The Problem of the Industrial Revolution |
208-229 |
12. |
The English Industrial Revolution |
230-258 |
13 |
Why England? Why not China, Japan, or India? |
259-271 |
14 |
Social Consequences of the Industrial Revolution |
272-302 |