UE391 - Economic History of Development in the Colonial and Postcolonial Eras

Intervenant·e·s

• Denis Cogneau [référent·e]   directeur d'études, EHESS - directeur de recherche, IRD / Paris School of Economics (PJSE)

The 24-hours research seminar discusses ongoing research efforts and new frontiers in the economic history of developing countries and the role of long-term factors in development, with an emphasis on inequality and political economy. In the core course Advanced Economic History, a 6-hours lecture is devoted to the role of colonialism and imperialism in the Great Divergence, mainly from the standpoint of UK, USA and Western Europe (industrial revolution and core/periphery relations). In contrast, this research seminar focuses on the impact of colonialism and imperialism on non-Western regions, while also covering precolonial factors and postcolonial dynamics. In this respect, it aims at linking economic history and development economics. Both institutionalist and non-institutionalist approaches of long-term development are considered. Methodological questions and statistical / econometric issues are given an important room, in particular when discussing recent papers.

The lectures are organized in 8 weeks (2 sessions of 90 min each week), along the road map indicated below. Validation requires writing two referee reports on two papers drawn from a reading list of six (1/2 of the grade), and one research project on long-term development (1/2). One-page reports must detail strengths and weaknesses and must be handed before the paper is discussed in class. The research project is due one month after the end of the lectures. The two first weeks allow making clear what is expected in referee reports and research projects. Then, starting with week 3, each of the six papers is discussed in class; during discussion (45 min), a sheet is circulated so that individual participation is recorded (adding a bonus to the final grade). After discussion, I show and explain my own evaluation of the paper. The list of six papers to be refereed by students is changed every year. It includes very recent papers, already published or not, selected upon three criteria (in lexicographic order): (i) relevance to the topic of the week; (ii) diversity in geographical areas (Latin America, Africa, Middle-East, Asia); (iii) diversity in type of authors (academic sector, gender, geographical origin).

1.       Economy History of Development: What is the question?

1.1.             The question of historical development. Convergence and divergence

1.2.             Econ. history and development econ. Persistence studies and their critics

2.       Institutions. Divergence of the Americas

2.1               Colonial institutions and settlement patterns

2.2               Colonialism in the New World. Divergence of the Americas

3        Precolonial conditions

3.1               Agriculture and technology

3.2               Land abundance, states and slavery

4        Colonialism in the Old World

4.1               Early stages. Missions, police, expropriation

4.2               Colonial government

5        Colonial and postcolonial states capacity: taxation

6        Colonial and postcolonial states capacity: public goods and services

7        Dualism and inequality

8        Postcolonial development: Trade and natural resources. State building