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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.

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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