On the causes of economic growth : the lessons of history / Carlos Sabillon.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Sabillon, Carlos, 1967-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Economic development.

Economic history.

Physical Description:

xii, 340 p.

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

New York : Algora Pub., c2008.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

In a sweeping review of economic history, the author presents the salient facts of booms and slowdowns in the major economies of the world, in 50-year intervals and demonstrates the weakness of orthodox theories. The only factor that consistently causes growth, he shows, is centralized support for manufacturing, which spurs the creation of new technologies, which lead to wealth creation. Since the earliest of times, human beings have endeavored to uncover the causes of prosperity. Step by step, Sabillon tests the principal theories on the causes of economic growth against the facts of history. Here, economic statistics of the world are presented in a rationalized format that allows for comparison across countries and through time, with a challenge to those who study them to determine, with an open mind, what the statistics show and what are the trends -- beyond cherished theories that suit various political purposes. Tested against the historical data, textbook ideas and theories consistently come up short. Such analyses are highly troubling because they reveal an absence of correlation between theory and reality. The data, statistics illustrating the development of the world economy during the last several centuries, were extracted from economic, history and economic history books, from publications of the World Bank, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the International Monetary Fund, the World Trade Organization, the United Nations specialized agencies, research institutes and country statistical publications, and other books and journals. Analyzing the data over geography and time, Sabillon concludes that contrary to contemporary wisdom, left to market forces alone the economy will not and does not flourish. Only decisive intervention in support of manufacturing and technological advancement can provide growth. This

systematic review of history and test of accepted dogma challenges economic theorists to consider one part of the equation of economic policy that has been wiped off the blackboard in today s politically-correct debates.

Contents:

Intro

Preface

Introduction

Manufacturing and Growth

Investment and Technology Creation

Theoretical Basis and Rival Ideas

Exogenous Factors

Government Policy

Ideology and Public Policy

Wealth Creation and Wealth Distribution

Chapter 1. From Antiquity to the 15th Century

From the Beginning to the Neolithic Period

Economic Growth in Ancient Times

The First Millennium of the Christian Eraâ€"China

Europe â€" War and Growth in the Middle Ages

The British Isles

Germany

Japan

Levels of Education and Infrastructure

Chapter 2. The 16th Century

Misinterpretations of the Causes of Economic Growth

England

Russia

China and Japan

Chapter 3. The 17th Century

Support for Manufacturing in England

China

The United States of America

Chapter 4. The 18th Century

Orthodox Interpretations of the Causes of Economic Growth in Britain

A Non-Orthodox Interpretation of the Causes of Growth

Continental Europe and Germany

Korea and Taiwan

The United States

Chapter 5. The First Half of the 19th Century

Britain’s Economic Development

The Elliptical Linkage Between Manufacturing and the Economy

Russia in Stagnation

Hong Kong and Singapore

Chapter 6. The Second Half of the 19th Century in the United States, Germany, and Russia

1850â€"69

1870â€"99

On Inflation, Capital, and Trade

Understanding Causality

Canada, Australia, and New Zealand

Unification, Trains, and Weapons

Correlation and Causality

The Crimean War and its Consequences

Railroads, Ideology, and Factories.

Chapter 7. The Second Half of the 19th Century in Japan, Britain, China, and the Newly Industrialized Countries

Armament Build Up and Fast Economic Growth

Policy Errors and Support for Manufacturing

Great Britain

Economic Decline in Britain

Stimulation Efforts and Economic Misinterpretations

East Asia

Economic Stagnation in Manchu China

Singapore and Hong Kong

Chapter 8. The First Half of the 20th Century in East Asia

War and Weapons

The Effects of Factory Promotion

Chaos and Weak Government

The Effects of Manufacturing

Taiwan and Korea

Chapter 9. The First Half of the 20th Century in Germany and Russia

1900â€"1919

The 1920s and the Depression

The Nazis and Manufacturing

Misunderstanding Causality

World War II and Its Aftermath

Technology and Growth

1900â€"19

Soviet Policies and their Effects on Manufacturing

World War II and Reconstruction

Chapter 10. The First Half of the 20th Century in the United States of America and Great Britain

1900â€"29

The 1920s

The Great Depression

World War II and the 1940s

Technology and Factories

Productivity, Investment, and Savings

The 1920s and the 1930s

The 1940s

Technology and Wealth Creation

Conclusion

Guidelines for Growth

Appendix

Methodology for Preparing the Charts

Tables

References

Index.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

1-281-39840-3

9786611398408

0-87586-590-9

OCLC:

437192500