This course studies the economic development of Europe from prehistoric times to the early twentieth century. Although the course is chronological, the vastness of such a history necessarily means that we will be selective in our treatment, focusing on a few episodes and approaches. In general, the course will try to explain the uniqueness of Western Europe. Why was Western Europe (including Great Britain) able to achieve sustained economic growth in a way that no other part of the world - including the great civilizations of history - was able to do?
The course will meet with the undergraduate version of the course, ECON 2101, but will have different assignments. Students in the graduate version of the course will write three 5-8 page papers over the course of the semester and take the same in class midterm and final exams as students in ECON 2101. The three papers and the final will each count 20 per cent of the grade.