Global Economic History A Very Short Introduction

Very Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, Inspiring

Why are some countries rich, and some poor? Does this status persist throughout time, and if so, why? How can a country escape poverty?

In this Very Short Introduction, Robert C. Allen explores the interplay of geography, globalization, technological change, economic policy, and institutions, to show how they have determined the wealth and poverty of nations around the world. Using historical examples to analyse the factors that have influenced growth, he exposes what has caused the unequal world we live in today, focusing on recent changes in equality and world economic disruption.

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Robert C. Allen, Global Distinguished Professor of Economic History, University of Oxford

Robert C. Allen is Global Distinguished Professor of Economic History at New York University, Abu Dhabi, and a Senior Research Fellow of Nuffield College, Oxford. His books include Enclosure and the Yeoman: The Agricultural Development of the South Midlands, 1450-1850 (2009), and Farm to Factory: A Re-interpretation of the Soviet Industrial Revolution (2003).