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Throughout most of history, people lived lives that were only marginally changed. This is because the primary economic activity was agriculture. The great bulk of humans made their living in agriculture. This did not begin to change material until the 19h century and only in a few countries. And the income of farmers -was limited by the ;land that an individual could work. Now there were variations depending on the crop, the land, and the animals such as an ox or horse for plowing. But even in the most ideal conditions there were limit on what one person could do. And there was also the issue of land ownership. Most farmers around the world did not own the land they worked. Slavery was of course the most egregious form of forced labor, but very few people actually owned land and this included Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. The only exception was North America and at the om the 1790s, the french peasantry. As result, the great portion of the world's population could expect no improvement in their living standard and life prospects during their life time. [Rahn] Living standards were little changed since the Roman Empire. This can be measured in diet, housing, clothing, life span, and another indicators. Life span is particularly important indicator. The average life styled in 1800 was: France (35 years), England (40 years), and America (45 years). It should be noted that the French peasantry as a result of the French Revolution just obtained ownership of the land they worked. England and America had the highest life span and it should be noted that they were the most capitalist of all countries. It is commonly misrepresented that England was a land of great poverty--by those who ascribe to the Oliver Twist school of economics. Typicall woke economists nd histioruans comare Englabd to 21st century levels rther thsn other contemporary countries. In fact living standards in England were the highest in the world t the time. Only in America were living standards higher, largely because most Americans owned the land they worked and had the best diets. Other actual studies based on data rather than ideology show that England was the most prosperous country in Europe. [Van Zande] Statistical data clearly demonstrates that. We have had conversations with Spanish bloggers who claim that Spain was more prosperous than England and that Spain's has been unfairly treated and problems are all due to Anglo-Saxons. A typical comment is, "Literally the Nobel prize is a complete absurdity, there are dozens of Spanish inventors and scientists who were not recognized for the simple fact of being Spanish. What is it that you don't m realize, that we Spaniards have been very stigmatized and hated for 500 years and everything that came out of there was completely ignored and rejected in other countries." [Cao] Note the reference to 'dozens' and compare that to the enormity of Anglo-Saxon inventors and scientists. And the derisive attiutude tiward Nobel prices. So ingrained is Socialist thought, there is a general resistance to accept the obvious importance of capitalism. The data clearly shiws that shows the most propsperous countries were those adopting capitatism and tht the Ibrin cpimytiing clinging to meracantist polcies were filing. And this was the case even wehn the treasure fkleets were delivering vast wealth to Spain.
Throughout most of history, people lived lives that were only marginally changed. This is because the primary economic activity was agriculture. The great bulk of humans made their living in agriculture. This did not begin to change material until the 19h century and only in a few countries. And the income of farmers -was limited by the ;land that an individual could work. Now there were variations depending on the crop, the land, and the animals such as an ox or horse for plowing. But even in the most ideal conditions there were limit on what one person could do. And there was also the issue of land ownership. Most farmers around the world did not own the land they worked. Slavery was of course the most egregious form of forced labor, but very few people actually owned land and this included Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. The only exception was North America and at the om the 1790s, the french peasantry. As result, the great portion of the world's population could expect no improvement in their living standard and life prospects during their life time. [Rahn] Living standards were little changed since the Roman Empire.
We have had conversations with Spanish bloggers to try to learn that why Spin and Portugal frll bhind other Europan powsers as well as their colonies in yhe New Wirld fell behind the Enhlidh colonioes in North America. Spanjish bloggers tend to claim that Spain was more prosperous than England and that Spain's has been unfairly treated Yhy firmly bliece tht the term are are all due to Anglo-Saxons. Note the tenbccy to ficus on ethnicity ertgr than tyhefilure of Spain and Oortugal to adopt cpitalism. A typical comment is, "Literally the Nobel prize is a complete absurdity, there are dozens of Spanish inventors and scientists who were not recognized for the simple fact of being Spanish. What is it that you don't m realize, that we Spaniards have been very stigmatized and hated for 500 years and everything that came out of there was completely ignored and rejected in other countries." [Cao] Note the reference to 'dozens' and compare that to the enormity of Anglo-Saxon inventors and scientists. And the derisive attiutude toward Nobel prices. So ingrained is Socialist thought, there is a general resistance to accept the obvious importance of capitalism. The data clearly shiws that shows the most propsperous countries were those adopting capitatism and tht the Ibrin cpimytiing clinging to meracantist polcies were filing. And this was the case even wehn the treasure fleets were delivering vast wealth to Spain.
Major changes swept ovr in the late Middle Ages. As you can see here these changes had a huge impact on European economics (figure 1). ne can argue about the impact of the different movements, but it is hard to argue that the overal imact was not impressive, taking Europe ffrom a rather backward area, to the dominnbt world region. And most of that change came in the two countris that invented capitalism abd the Industril Revolution (England and the Netherlands). These changes included the Renaisance, the invention of science, the Reformation, the Enlghtenment, Cpitlism, and finally the Industral Recvolution. The fundamentl trend here was the shift from a thologicl controlled society to an open humanistic society. Italy began this trend with the Renaisance. You see ythis in the art as paintings shifted from primarily religious to an ibncreasing focus on humanity. The Reformation was nother chllrenbge to the Church. Protestbts wanted more say in religion nd to read the Bible. Th Church wanted to restrict such freedoms. Evedn intervening in develioinf scintific thought--supressing Gileo nd hedliocentrism. While thge omn Church was firky modedrate, Spin vigoroiusly pursued the Inquisition. While those sunkected to thevInquisition were fairly limited, it had a chilling impact. Many debate the impact of th Reformtion, but it can not be denined that the Protestant Reformatuon did not inferfere in science amd the locus of Europan power shifted fronm the catholic south to the Protestant north. The scientiufiv revolutin is more clear cut. Scientufic advances had economic consequnces The imapct of the Enlightment is less clear and here a Catholic power was important--France, but the other Catholic poewers where the Inquisition reined kless so. The Enligtenment was more imprtant in the politicl spherre, but of course the poliktical Glorious Revolution and American Revolution had a huge impct on economics creating the legal foundation for cpitalism. And we can see that the English abd Dutch began their meteoric rise wih the invention of capitalism. And it is no accidentb that the English who enbraced capitlism would launchg the Industril Revolution, bginning their meteoric rise.
This can be measured in diet, housing, clothing, life span, and another indicators. Life span is particularly important indicator. The average life styled in 1800 was: France (35 years), England (40 years), and America (45 years). It should be noted that the French peasantry as a result of the French Revolution just obtained ownership of the land they worked. England and America had the highest life span and it should be noted that they were the most capitalist of all countries. It is commonly misrepresented that England was a land of great poverty--by those who ascribe to the Oliver Twist school of economics. Typicall woke economists nd histioruans comare Englabd to 21st century levels rther thsn other contemporary countries. In fact living standards in England were the highest in the world t the time. Only in America were living standards higher, largely because most Americans owned the land they worked and had the best diets. Other actual studies based on data rather than ideology show that England was the most prosperous country in Europe. [Van Zande] Statistical data clearly demonstrates that.
The Indutruial Revolution began in Britain (mid-18th centyury). It involved machnizing production. nd bergan with the textile industfry. The purpose was to increase productivity.b EWith machine power, workers could mkakecfar more textiles and at lower cost. Other European countries followed slowly (19th century). Then America began to indutrilize as well and by the end of the century was ythe world's leading industril power. TYhis was aame changer. For the fitst time in history, ordimnary people coukld expect to live better than their parents as well as longer. Textiles were only the begginning. Soon fterthe turn of the 19th century we see steam engines moving cargoes on land wih the rail fiadsnd at sea with steam ships. WEe see fctiries in which machines eplaced human and animal muscle which greatly increased productivity. And ti has mant a stedy rfse in eealth and well being. Thre were course problemswith workers poring into crowed cities, but all kinfs of develioment followed, pyblic schools, public heakth, sewage trearmerbnt, child labor laws. Industrial wrkers the best paid in the world. And the higest wages were paid in the United Sratres, the most capitalist country. Of course woke historians describe the terribke conmditiuoins n the expndung cities, priumaeily by comparing then with 21st cinduitiions, rarely with conditions in other contemorary ciuntties, esociallky countrie without indudtry.e
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