The claim of globalization critics that the income gap to industrial countries is bound to widen for essentially all developing countries as a consequence of economic globalization is in conflict with empirical evidence. Economic performance differs tremendously across developing countries. We...

This paper reviews the experience of economic growth during the twentieth century with a view to highlighting implications for both growth economists and policy-makers. The unprecedented divergence in income levels between the OECD economies and many developing countries is documented but so too...

This paper argues that economic competition and political contestability are two key determinants of the successful development of the Swiss economy in the nineteenth and twentieth century. We describe how Switzerland evolved from a relatively poor country with no natural resources and net...

A key objective of this book is to show that (p. vii) "plain economic history can help pick out the more durable of the arrangements that favour growth." He argues that the conditions favoring long run growth are largely political and include competitive markets, free trade, decentralized...

Chapter 1. Introduction. A Millennial View of Spain’s Development -- Part I: Growth and Well-being -- Chapter 2. Growth Recurring in Preindustrial Economy -- Chapter 3. Capital Accumulation -- Chapter 4. Productivity Growth -- Chapter 5. Inequality and Poverty -- Part II. Spain in the Global...

Globalization is the process of increased interconnectedness among countries. The prosperous economic development that is typically gained because of the increased interconnectedness among countries usually results in a better standard of living, and an overall improved quality of life. The...