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La economìa de occidente y la del resto del mundo en el último milenio*§

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 April 2010

Angus Maddison
Affiliation:
Rijksuniversiteit Groningena

Abstract

This essay contends that Western Europe's economy started to grow at a more rapid pace than the rest of the World during the Early Modern or Late Medieval era. Using the latest quantitative information available it is argued that, between the years 1000 and 1820, GDP per head in Western Europe experienced a threefold increase whereas that of the rest of the World grew only 33 per cent. Among the factors responsible for this difference the author highlights the progress in navigation techniques, with its consequences on trade and the division of labour; the adoption of institutions that also favoured trade; the knowledge revolution which started during the Renaissance period; the political division of Europe, with its corollary of competition among states and enhanced freedom, as well as the development of individualism favoured by the Christian cultural tradition.

Resumen

En este ensayo se mantiene que Europa Occidental inició su despegue económico con respecto al resto del mundo durante la Edad Moderna o incluso la Baja Edad Media. Empleando la última información cuantitativa disponible, se argumenta que, entre los años 1000 y 1820, el PIB por habitante de Europa Occidental se multiplicó por tres, frente a un crecimiento medio de sólo el 33 por 100 en el resto del mundo. Entre los factores responsables de esta diferencia destacan el progreso en las técnicas de navegación, con sus consecuencias sobre el comercio y la división del trabajo; la adopción de instituciones también favorables al comercio; la revolución del conocimiento iniciada durante el Renacimiento; la propia división política de Europa, con sus corolarios de competencia entre estados y mayor libertad individual, y el desarrollo del individualismo, favorecido por la tradición cultural cristiana.

Type
Artículos
Copyright
Copyright © Instituto Figuerola de Historia y Ciencias Sociales, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid 2004

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References

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