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The Enlightened Economy: An Economic History of Britain 1700-1850 : Review Essay

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  • Gregory Clark

Abstract

The British Industrial Revolution is the key break in world history. Yet the timing, location, and cause of this Revolution are unsolved puzzles. Joel Mokyr's book is one of a number of recent attempted solutions. He explains the Industrial Revolution through the arrival of a particular ideology in Britain, associated with the earlier European intellectual movement of the Enlightenment. This review considers how Mokyr's "idealist" approach fares as an account of the Industrial Revolution, compared to the spate of recent proposed "materialist" explanations. ( JEL N13, N63)

Suggested Citation

  • Gregory Clark, 2012. "The Enlightened Economy: An Economic History of Britain 1700-1850 : Review Essay," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 50(1), pages 85-95, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:jeclit:v:50:y:2012:i:1:p:85-95
    Note: DOI: 10.1257/jel.50.1.85
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • N13 - Economic History - - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics; Industrial Structure; Growth; Fluctuations - - - Europe: Pre-1913
    • N63 - Economic History - - Manufacturing and Construction - - - Europe: Pre-1913

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