An Economic History of the World since 1400

Course Overview

A renowned economic historian reveals the (sometimes surprising) ways money has shaped global politics, innovation, and discovery.

Course No. 5670

Money truly does make the world go ‘round. Yet, we often overlook the vital importance of economics when it comes to studying history. Economic history explores how civilizations have structured their environments to provide food, shelter, and material goods, making it a crucial lens for understanding our present globalized moment. This course aims to bridge the gap in thinking about modern history with 48 engaging lectures, covering more than 600 years of economic history. No prior knowledge of economics is required to appreciate how these lectures illustrate the connections between economics and historical events.

Video Lectures

1. Self-Interest, Human Survival, and History
   • Duration: 31 min
   • Introduction to economic history and its key moments since 1400.

• Marco Polo, China, and Silk Road Trade
  • Duration: 30 min
  • The global economy circa 1400 and Europe’s role in shaping capitalism.

3. Manorial Society in Medieval Europe
   • Duration: 30 min
   • Development of manorial structures and the medieval commercial revolution.

• How Black Death Reshaped Town and Field
  • Duration: 31 min
  • Economic impacts of the Black Death on trade and productivity.

• Late-14th-Century Guilds and Monopolies
  • Duration: 29 min
  • Emergence of guilds and monopolies post-Black Death.

6. European Discovery Routes: East and West
   • Duration: 31 min
   • The economic implications of the age of exploration.

• 1571: Spain, Portugal Encircle the Globe
  • Duration: 30 min
  • The rise of the Iberian kingdoms and their global impact.

• Old World Bourses and Market Information
  • Duration: 30 min
  • Creation of joint-stock companies in the 17th century.

• The Europeans’ Plantation Labor Problem
  • Duration: 32 min
  • Economic systems reliant on plantation labor and race-based slavery.

10. Adam Smith, Mercantilism, State Building
    • Duration: 29 min
    • The dawn of mercantilism and its implications for state-building.

• British and Dutch Joint-Stock Companies
  • Duration: 29 min
  • The role of joint-stock companies in global trade.

• Europe, the Printing Press, and Science
  • Duration: 31 min
  • The effects of the printing press on the economy and knowledge.

• The Industrious Revolution: Demand Grows
  • Duration: 31 min
  • Economic changes from 1600 to 1800, highlighting industrial practices.

• Why Didn’t China Industrialize Earlier?
  • Duration: 31 min
  • Comparative economic development between China and Europe.

• 18th-Century Agriculture and Production
  • Duration: 31 min
  • Key changes in agriculture paving the way for the Industrial Revolution.

16. Industrial Revolution: The Textile Trade
    • Duration: 30 min
    • The significance of textile trade in Britain’s industrialization.

17. British Coal, Coke, and a New Age of Iron
    • Duration: 29 min
    • Innovations in iron production during the Industrial Revolution.

• Power: From Peat Bogs to Steam Engines
  • Duration: 29 min
  • Evolution of power sources during the Industrial Revolution.

• A Second Industrial Revolution after 1850
  • Duration: 32 min
  • Characteristics of the Second Industrial Revolution in the U.S.

20. Family Labor Evolves into Factory Work
    • Duration: 30 min
    • Impact of industrialization on family structures and labor.

• Cornelius Vanderbilt and the Modern Firm
  • Duration: 32 min
  • The rise of modern business practices through industrialists.

22. 19th-Century Farm Technology, Land Reform
    • Duration: 31 min
    • Transformations in agricultural practices in the U.S. and Europe.

23. Speeding Up: Canals, Steamships, Railroads
    • Duration: 31 min
    • Transportation innovations creating a globalized economy.

24. European Urbanization and Emigration
    • Duration: 31 min
    • Urbanization challenges and opportunities in 19th-century Europe.

• Unions, Strikes, and the Haymarket Affair
  • Duration: 30 min
  • Labor movements and class consciousness during industrialization.

26. Banks, Central Banks, and Modern States
    • Duration: 31 min
    • The evolution of banking and insurance in industrial societies.

27. Understanding Uneven Economic Development
    • Duration: 32 min
    • Economic disparities resulting from industrialization.

28. Adam Smith’s Argument for Free Trade
    • Duration: 31 min
    • The pros and cons of free trade from the perspective of Adam Smith.

29. Middle-Class Catalogs and Mass Consumption
    • Duration: 31 min
    • The rise of mass consumption and its economic implications.

• Imperialism: Land Grabs and Morality Plays
  • Duration: 31 min
  • The economic motivations behind European imperialism.

• World War I: Industrial Powers Collide
  • Duration: 31 min
  • The economic consequences of World War I on global trade.

• Russia’s Marxist-Leninist Experiment
  • Duration: 31 min
  • The development of socialism in Russia under Marx and Lenin.

33. The Trouble with the Gold Standard
    • Duration: 32 min
    • Examination of the gold standard’s impact post-World War I.

34. Tariffs, Cartels, and John Maynard Keynes
    • Duration: 31 min
    • Keynes’s critique of economic policies and their implications.

35. Japanese Expansionism: Manchurian Incident
    • Duration: 30 min
    • Economic factors driving Japanese imperialism.

36. U.S. Aid and a Postwar Economic Miracle
    • Duration: 30 min
    • The impact of the Marshall Plan on post-war recovery.

37. Colonialism and the Independence Movement
    • Duration: 30 min
    • Post-war economic struggles and Marxist influences.

• Japan, the Transistor, and Asia’s Tigers
  • Duration: 31 min
  • The resurgence of Asian economies post-World War II.

39. The Welfare State: From Bismarck to Obama
    • Duration: 31 min
    • The evolution of welfare programs through economic turmoil.

• The End of American Exceptionalism?
  • Duration: 32 min
  • Shifting economic paradigms in America post-1970s.

• Middle East: From Pawn to Power Broker
  • Duration: 30 min
  • The geopolitical significance of oil in the global economy.

42. Germany, the European Union, and the Euro
    • Duration: 30 min
    • Foundations of the European Union and its economic implications.

43. Free Trade: Global versus Regional Blocs
    • Duration: 31 min
    • Analysis of trade organizations and their influence on the economy.

• Gorbachev, Yeltsin, and the Soviet Decline
  • Duration: 30 min
  • The collapse of the Soviet economy and its historical significance.

• Half the World Left behind in Poverty
  • Duration: 31 min
  • Examination of economic disparities and foreign aid solutions.

• China, India: Two Paths to Wealth Extremes
  • Duration: 33 min
  • Comparative analysis of economic growth strategies in China and India.

47. The Information Economy: Telegraph to Tech
    • Duration: 30 min
    • The evolution of the information economy over 500 years.

48. Leverage with Globalization in Its Grip
    • Duration: 35 min
    • The interconnectedness of modern economies through historical crises.