Overview
Successful exams will almost certainly include figures (e.g. a model or dia- gram).
A piece of general advice: The most important thing is to demonstrate to me that you understand the readings and lectures from class. Make sure you relate your answers to this material! You shouldn’t be googling or asking ChatGPT for answers to these questions—this strategy will almost certainly lead to you failing. ChatGPT hasn’t taken my class, so the answers it gives will probably not be on point.
Essay Questions: Please answer ALL of the following essay questions. A complete answer should make use of the material in the readings and lectures.
1. (20 points) Using the framework developed by Robert Allen, explain why the Industrial Revolution occurred first in Britain. Your answer should include a model. Does this framework have any implications for our under- standing of industrialization in the United States?
2. (20 points) According to Naomi Lamoreaux what is the “Mystery of Property Rights”. Include specific examples from U.S. history that illustrate this mystery. What is the main factor Lamoreaux believes is responsible for the United States “solving” the mystery of property rights?
3. (20 points) Use the Malthusian Model to answer the following questions.
- (a) Why was there so little economic growth before the Industrial Revo- lution?
- (b) Assume there are two regions, A and B. They both have the same fer- tility and mortality schedules. If the world is malthusian, what would you want to measure in order to know which region is more techno- logically advanced? Assume that “technology” in this sense is much more than inventions. It includes institutional quality, specialization and trade, etc. . . as well. As a result, you can’t directly measure tech- nology.