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Plenty of Land, Land of Plenty. The Agrarian Output of Portugal (1311-20)

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  • António Henriques

    (Faculdade de Economia, Universidade do Porto)

Abstract

This article presents a benchmark for Portuguese agrarian output for the 1311-20 decade. This benchmark is built from the supply side, using the value of ecclesiastical tithes, and tested with macro and micro level demand-side information. Compared with existing estimates for contemporary England, real Portuguese per capita agrarian output appears high. This result challenges the received wisdom that by 1320 Portugal was hard-pressed by demographic forces. Instead, it confirms that by 1320, Portugal was a ‘frontier economy’ with a high land/labour ratio and a high per capita output level.

Suggested Citation

  • António Henriques, 2014. "Plenty of Land, Land of Plenty. The Agrarian Output of Portugal (1311-20)," FEP Working Papers 520, Universidade do Porto, Faculdade de Economia do Porto.
    • Handle: RePEc:por:fepwps:520
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Allen,Robert C., 2009. "The British Industrial Revolution in Global Perspective," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521868273.
    2. Gregory Clark, 2009. "The Macroeconomic Aggregates for England, 1209-2008," Working Papers 919, University of California, Davis, Department of Economics.
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    9. Allen, Robert C., 2001. "The Great Divergence in European Wages and Prices from the Middle Ages to the First World War," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 38(4), pages 411-447, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Palma, Nuno & Reis, Jaime, 2019. "From Convergence to Divergence: Portuguese Economic Growth, 1527–1850," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 79(2), pages 477-506, June.
    2. Koyama, Mark & Desierto, Desiree, 2020. "The Political Economy of Status Competition: Sumptuary Laws in Preindustrial Europe," CEPR Discussion Papers 14407, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    3. Jaime Reis, 2016. "The Gross Agricultural Output of Portugal: A Quantitative, Unified Perspective, 1500-1850," Working Papers 0098, European Historical Economics Society (EHES).
    4. Lains, Pedro, 2016. "Agriculture and Economic Development on the European Frontier : Portugal, 1000-2000," IFCS - Working Papers in Economic History.WH 23463, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. Instituto Figuerola.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Economic History; Agriculture; Living Standards; Frontier Economy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • N53 - Economic History - - Agriculture, Natural Resources, Environment and Extractive Industries - - - Europe: Pre-1913

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