Why Europe?
Why Europe?
Looking for an inspection copy?
This title is not currently available for inspection.
Economic growth transformed the world. It freed us from a world where nearly everyone was mired in poverty and half of all children died before reaching adulthood. However, these benefits have not been felt everywhere, nor by everyone. In this groundbreaking new account of the divergence between east and west, Philip T. Hoffman uncovers the ultimate causes of economic growth and the reasons why it originated in seventeenth-century western Europe. He examines the relative impacts of a wide range of economic, political, and social factors, from high wages, cheap capital, and financial institutions to political fragmentation, porous borders, and interstate warfare. Through accessible economic principles and fascinating case studies, he demonstrates why growth began in Britain, why it spread so unevenly elsewhere, and why inequality inhibits growth.
- Combines history, economics and political science to explain long-term economic growth in Europe
- Spans almost 2,000 years of history while speaking to questions of poverty and inequality today
- Accessibly written, including stories, examples and clear graphs
Reviews & endorsements
'Why Europe? succeeds in the miracle of combining great breadth and major depth of analysis in a short volume. The test of time for any book lies in whether the questions it raises are intellectually exciting. The questions raised and addressed in Phil Hoffman's latest book will keep everyone awake at night wanting to learn more.' Maristella Botticini, author of The Chosen Few: How Education Shaped Jewish History, 70—1492
'Hoffman's question 'Why Europe' is one of those historical questions that once you start thinking about them, it is hard to think of anything else. This volume, as eloquent as it is thoughtful and erudite, provides persuasive and informed answers. It is mandatory reading for anyone who has ever wondered why our world looks the way it does.' Joel Mokyr, author of A Culture of Growth: Origins of the Modern Economy
Product details
- Published: July 2026
- Format: Paperback
- ISBN: 9780521738446
- Length: 256 pages
- Dimensions: 229 × 152 mm
- Weight: 0kg
- Availability: Not yet published - available from July 2026
Table of Contents
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Europe's advantages: demography, agriculture, and the environment
- 3. War, conquest, and politics in Europe's rise
- 4. Ideas, beliefs, and culture
- 5. Why Britain was the first country in Europe to industrialize
- 6. Institutions and Britain's pioneering industrialization
- 7. Why some economies grew rich and others fell behind
- Bibliography
- Index.
- Show more
