Global Economy Lecture 6: Pre modern growth - the Great Divergence WHY

Question 1

What was the ‘glorious revolution’?

Answer 1

The Glorious Revolution[a] is the sequence of events that led to the deposition of James II and VII in November 1688. He was replaced by his daughter Mary II and her Dutch husband, William III of Orange, who was also his nephew. The two ruled as joint monarchs of England, Scotland, and Ireland until Mary’s death in 1694. The Revolution itself was relatively bloodless, but pro-Stuart revolts between 1689 and 1746 caused significant casualties, while the political movement known as Jacobitism persisted into the late 18th century. William’s invasion was the last successful invasion of England.

Despite his own Catholicism, for various reasons James became king in February 1685 with widespread backing from the Protestant majorities in England and Scotland, as well as largely Catholic Ireland. Although his policies quickly eroded this support, it was not until June 1688 that dissatisfaction became a political crisis. The birth of James Francis Edward on 10 June displaced his Protestant elder sister Mary as the heir presumptive. The prospect of a Catholic dynasty destroyed James’s political authority, and led a few of his domestic opponents to seek external support in removing him.

Although there was little sign of armed English domestic resistance, both William and the Dutch States General were concerned James would support Louis XIV of France in the Nine Years’ War. Claiming to be responding to an Invitation asking him to “protect the Protestant religion”, William landed in Devon with 20,000 men on 5 November 1688. As he advanced on London, James’ army disintegrated, and he went into exile in France on 23 December. In April 1689, Parliament made William and Mary joint monarchs of England and Ireland. A separate but similar Scottish settlement was made in June.[1]

Domestically, the Revolution confirmed the primacy of Parliament over the Crown in both England and Scotland. In terms of external policy, until his death in 1701, William combined the roles of Dutch stadholder and British monarch. Both states thus became allies in resisting French expansion, an alliance which persisted for much of the 18th century, despite differing objectives. Under William’s leadership, Dutch resources were focused on the land war with France, with the Royal Navy taking the lead at sea. This was a significant factor in the Dutch Republic being overtaken as the leading European maritime power by Britain during the War of the Spanish Succession.

Question 2

Briefly list what the Classical/Traditional school believes is the reason for why Europe diverged from Asia

Answer 2

• China has different demographic characteristics
• China had poor government institutions
• China was less urban and more commercialised
• China had less productive agriculture
• China has expensive energy sources
• China was less innovative - hence lower productivity
• China had poor informal/cultural institutions

Question 3

When we discuss the Great Divergence, what do we mean by a different demographic regime?

Answer 3

• China had universal marriage (women)
• Births and Deaths were higher in China
• Population suffered from famines as late as the 19C (and later)
• China may have had lower real wages due to institutions
  governing marriage and fertility
• Chinese demographic characteristics did not change in this
  period
• Hence, changes in England/Europe reflect different
  demographics

Question 4

How did England and Europe’s demographics differ?

Answer 4

• England’s population pattern was unique in a number of ways
• Europe was the first to undergo the “demographic transition”
• Europe differed from the rest of the world - fertility was central
• England differed from the rest of Europe - nuptiality was
  central

Question 5

What’s ‘nuptuality’?

Answer 5

The frequency, characteristics, and dissolution of marriages in a population.

Question 6

What’s the name for ‘The frequency, characteristics, and dissolution of marriages in a population’?

Answer 6

Nuptuality

Question 7

State the varying equations related to population growth and elaborate on what child birth rate and child deatj rate is determined by

What typical figures do child birth and death rates tend to be?

Answer 7

• ∆Population/Population = Natural Rate of Increase + Net Migration Rate
• Natural Rate of Increase = Crude Birth Rate − Crude Death Rate
• Crude Birth Rate = Births/Population
• Crude Death Rate = Deaths/Population
• Crude birth rate (CBR) is determined by the fertility rates of married and
  unmarried women, the marriage rate and female age of first
  marriage (FAFM)
• Maximum CBR is about 50/1000 based on traditional
  communities
• Crude death rate (CDR) is determined by war, famine, plague etc.
• CDR was characterised by sudden peaks as high as 150/1000,
  300/1000 and even 500/1000
  So what did the demographics look like in England?