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Banking and Industrialization

Author

Listed:
  • Stephan Heblich
  • Alex Trew

Abstract

We establish a causal role for banking access in the spread of the Industrial Revolution over the period 1817–1881 by exploiting unique employment data from 10,528 parishes across England and Wales and a novel instrument. We estimate that a one standard deviation increase in 1817 finance employment increases annualized industrial employment growth by 0.93 percentage points. We establish the role of structural transformation as an underlying growth mechanism and show that banking access: (i) increases the industrial employment share; (ii) stimulates urbanization; and (iii) fosters inter-industry transition to high TFP, intermediate and capital-intensive sub-sectors.

Suggested Citation

  • Stephan Heblich & Alex Trew, 2019. "Banking and Industrialization," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 17(6), pages 1753-1796.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:jeurec:v:17:y:2019:i:6:p:1753-1796.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/jeea/jvy037
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    Cited by:

    1. Casey, Gregory & Klemp, Marc, 2021. "Historical instruments and contemporary endogenous regressors," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    2. Stephan Heblich & Stephen J. Redding & Hans-Joachim Voth, 2022. "Slavery and the British Industrial Revolution," NBER Working Papers 30451, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Cai, Yang & Li, Dongxu, 2024. "Modern banking development during natural disasters: Evidence from the early 20th century China," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    4. Michael Peneder, 2022. "Digitization and the evolution of money as a social technology of account," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 32(1), pages 175-203, January.
    5. Suesse, Marvin & Grigoriadis, Theocharis, 2025. "Financing Late Industrialization: Evidence from the State Bank of the Russian Empire," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 85(4), pages 1170-1206, December.
    6. Braun, Sebastian Till & Franke, Richard, 2022. "Railways, Growth, and Industrialization in a Developing German Economy, 1829–1910," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 82(4), pages 1183-1221, December.
    7. Suesse, Marvin & Wolf, Nikolaus, 2020. "Rural transformation, inequality, and the origins of microfinance," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    8. Hanlon, W.Walker & Heblich, Stephan, 2022. "History and urban economics," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    9. Michael Appiah & Bright Akwasi Gyamfi & Tomiwa Sunday Adebayo & Festus Victor Bekun, 2023. "Do financial development, foreign direct investment, and economic growth enhance industrial development? Fresh evidence from Sub-Sahara African countries," Portuguese Economic Journal, Springer;Instituto Superior de Economia e Gestao, vol. 22(2), pages 203-227, May.
    10. Jeremy Greenwood & Pengfei Han & Juan M. Sánchez, 2022. "Financing Ventures," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 63(3), pages 1021-1053, August.
    11. Jeremy Greenwood & Juan M. Sanchez & Cheng Wang, 2010. "Financing Development: The Role of Information Costs," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 100(4), pages 1875-1891, September.
    12. Sibylle Lehmann‐Hasemeyer & Fabian Wahl, 2021. "The German bank–growth nexus revisited: savings banks and economic growth in Prussia," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 74(1), pages 204-222, February.
    13. Liou, Jennhae & Wang, Zijin & Jiau, Tzeryan & Zhao, Qiuyun, 2025. "Financial institution coverage and firm's cross-regional investment: Evidence from China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 106(C).
    14. Duncan, Alfred & Nolan, Charles, 2023. "Adam Smith And The Bankers: Retrospect And Prospect," National Institute Economic Review, National Institute of Economic and Social Research, vol. 265, pages 70-104, August.
    15. Bo, Shiyu & Liu, Cong & Zhou, Yan, 2023. "Military investment and the rise of industrial clusters: Evidence from China’s self-strengthening movement," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    16. Lehmann-Hasemeyer, Sibylle H. & Wahl, Fabian, 2017. "Savings banks and the industrial revolution in Prussia: Supporting regional development with public financial institutions," Hohenheim Discussion Papers in Business, Economics and Social Sciences 18-2017, University of Hohenheim, Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences.
    17. Mustansar, Talreja, 2023. "Financial innovation, technological improvement and bank’ profitability," OSF Preprints 8wy95, Center for Open Science.
    18. Gouthami Kothakapa & Samyukta Bhupatiraju & Rahul A. Sirohi, 2021. "Revisiting the link between financial development and industrialization: evidence from low and middle income countries," Annals of Finance, Springer, vol. 17(2), pages 215-230, June.
    19. Dong‐Hyeon Kim & Ting‐Cih Chen & Shu‐Chin Lin, 2023. "Fertility and banking development: New panel evidence," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(4), pages 4220-4235, October.
    20. David Jones & Corrado Di Maria & Simone Valente, 2021. "Financial Intermediation and Structural Change: Theory and Evidence," University of East Anglia School of Economics Working Paper Series 2021-06, School of Economics, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK..

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • O11 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • O16 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Financial Markets; Saving and Capital Investment; Corporate Finance and Governance
    • O40 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - General
    • N23 - Economic History - - Financial Markets and Institutions - - - Europe: Pre-1913
    • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes

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