Gregory Clark’s (2007) is a seminal yet controversial work that attempts to explain why the Industrial Revolution happened when and where it did. Core Argument: The Malthusian Trap
For thousands of years, any technological advance that increased food production only led to a larger population, not a higher standard of living. Gregory_Clark - A_Farewell_to_Alms.pdf
Clark’s most controversial claim is that the Industrial Revolution was driven by rather than just institutions or geography. A Farewell to Alms: - Economics Gregory Clark’s (2007) is a seminal yet controversial
The average person in 1800 was no better off—and possibly worse off—than a hunter-gatherer from 100,000 BC. A Farewell to Alms: - Economics The average
Clark argues that before 1800, humanity lived in a :
In this world, events that reduced population (like the Black Death) temporarily raised living standards for survivors, while "good" things like peace and stability could actually lower per capita income by increasing population density. The Breakout: "Survival of the Richest"