New Explanation For the Industrial Revolution

Pcol writes "The New York Times is running a story on Dr. Gregory Clark's book 'A Farewell to Alms,' which offers a new explanation for the Industrial Revolution and the affluence it created. Dr. Clark, an economic historian at the University of California Davis, postulates that the surge in economic growth that occurred first in England around 1800 came about because of the strange new behaviors of nonviolence, literacy, long working hours, and a willingness to save. Clark's research shows that between 1200 and 1800, the rich had more surviving children than the poor and that he postulates that this caused constant downward social mobility as the poor failed to reproduce themselves and the progeny of the rich took over their occupations. 'The modern population of the English is largely descended from the economic upper classes of the Middle Ages,' Clark concludes. Work hours increased, literacy and numeracy rose, and the level of interpersonal violence dropped. Around 1790, a steady upward trend in production efficiency caused a significant acceleration in the rate of productivity growth that at last made possible England's escape from the Malthusian trap."

Comments

Re:Class System

[mcrbids]

I could see how a class system in place, and the working class dieing at a higher rate, could support his theory of natural selection help the economic growth. The wealth moved downwards, which in turn turned raised the overall economy. We see this when the working classes started to buy more creating more of a demand and thus the start of the industrial revolution.

What is for me very sobering is the effect that the welfare state has had recently in the United States. The rich have very few children as a result of the costs, while the poor have a large number since their expenses are insulated from them by state support.

It wasn't until recently, with the welfare reform act passed by Bill Clinton that this trend was at least thwarted. (now, more kids != more $$, so at least, once you get ON public assistance, you are disincentivized from having more)

Otherwise, this trend is a harbinger of very, very bad things...