We discuss recent work evaluating the role of the government in shaping the economy during the long 19th century, a practice we refer to as industrial policy. We show that states deployed a vast variety of different policies aimed at, primarily, but not exclusively, fostering industrialization....

Joachim Jan Thraen uses insights from history to provide a fresh perspective on China’s potential transition towards a global innovation leader. He applies historical evidence from countries like the United States, Germany, and Japan in the 19th and 20th century and builds on results from four...