ACX
Your Book Review: Why Nations Fail
A critical review of 'Why Nations Fail' that examines the authors' academic work and methodology, while questioning the book's quality and practical implications.
37 min read 5,661 words
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economic history
Essays tagged “economic history”. Follow an idea across the archive.
Essays on economic history
11 essaysACX
Your Book Review: Through The Eye Of A Needle
The review examines Peter Brown's book on the transformation of Western Europe and North Africa from pagan to Christian society (350-550 AD), focusing on wealth in churches and societal changes.
36 min read 5,557 words
ACX
Book Review: A Brief History Of Neoliberalism
Scott Alexander reviews 'A Brief History of Neoliberalism', finding it engaging but flawed in its economic analysis and predictions.
51 min read 7,791 words
ACX
Book Review: Global Economic History
Scott Alexander reviews a book on global economic history, discussing various factors and strategies that have influenced national development and industrialization.
20 min read 2,953 words
ACX
The Consequences Of Radical Reform
Scott Alexander examines a study showing that Napoleonic reforms led to better economic outcomes, challenging the idea that evolved systems are always superior to designed ones.
11 min read 1,686 words
SSC
Indian Economic Reform: Much More Than You Wanted To Know
The post critically examines the impact of India's 1991 economic reforms, suggesting that the country's economic growth began earlier and that the causes are more complex than commonly believed.
16 min read 2,336 words
SSC
List Of Passages I Highlighted In My Copy Of Capital In The Twenty-First Century
Scott Alexander shares and comments on key passages from Piketty's 'Capital in the Twenty-First Century', discussing historical economic trends and their modern implications.
38 min read 5,806 words
SSC
Book Review: Capital In The Twenty-First Century
Scott Alexander reviews Piketty's 'Capital in the Twenty-First Century', finding its analysis of long-term economic trends and inequality compelling but pessimistic about proposed solutions.
37 min read 5,698 words
SSC
Highlights From The Comments On Technological Unemployment
Scott summarizes and responds to comments on his technological unemployment article, covering various debates, critiques, and potential explanations for observed trends.
26 min read 3,940 words
SSC
Were There Dark Ages?
Scott Alexander argues that the Dark Ages in Western Europe (500-1000 AD) did occur, presenting evidence of economic, demographic, and intellectual decline during this period.
34 min read 5,119 words
SSC
Invisible Women
Scott Alexander explores the puzzling lack of GDP impact from women's significant entry into the workforce, considering various explanations and economic implications.
6 min read 853 words