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Education and catch-up in the Industrial Revolution

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Becker, Sascha O., Hornung, Erik and Woessmann, Ludger. (2011) Education and catch-up in the Industrial Revolution. American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, Vol.3 (No.3). pp. 92-126. ISSN 1945-7707

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1257/mac.3.3.92

Abstract

Research increasingly stresses the role of human capital in modern economic development. Existing historical evidence-mostly from British textile industries-however, rejects that formal education was important for the Industrial Revolution. Our new evidence from technological follower Prussia uses a unique school enrollment and factory employment database linking 334 counties from pre-industrial 1816 to two industrial phases in 1849 and 1882. Using pre-industrial education as instrument for later education and controlling extensively for pre-industrial development, we find that basic education is significantly associated with nontextile industrialization in both phases of the Industrial Revolution. Panel data models with county fixed effects confirm the results.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HC Economic History and Conditions
Divisions:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Economics
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Education -- Demographic aspects -- Germany -- Prussia -- History -- 19th century, Labor supply -- Effect of education on -- Germany -- Prussia -- History -- 19th century, Industrial revolution -- Germany -- Prussia, Human capital
Journal or Publication Title:	American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics
Publisher:	American Economic Association
ISSN:	1945-7707
Date:	July 2011
Volume:	Vol.3
Number:	No.3
Page Range:	pp. 92-126
Identification Number:	10.1257/mac.3.3.92
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published
Access rights to Published version:	Restricted or Subscription Access
Funder:	Wissenschaftsgemeinschaft Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz
Related URLs:	Publisher
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URI:	http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/id/eprint/38722