Universitat Internacional de Catalunya

History of Economics

History of Economics
6
7813
1
Second semester
FB
Economic Framework
Economics
Main language of instruction: Spanish

Other languages of instruction: Catalan, English

If the student is enrolled for the English track then classes for that subject will be taught in the same language.

Teaching staff


Dr. VERD LLABRES, Guillem - gverd@uic.es

Important: please send an email in advance in order to confirm your meeting with the instructor Guillem Verd (gverd@uic.es).

 

Introduction

Economic history can be viewed sometimes as the lab of Economic Science. Exploring global economic development from an historical perspective provides a long-term perspective and an understanding of how decisions made in the past can explain and predict the development of various societal outcomes. Analysing the underlying forces of long-term economic growth contributes to a better understanding of our current economies.

Pre-course requirements

General knowledge of contemporary history and basic knowledge of mathematics and statistics.

Objectives

  1. Provide historical background of the most important economic events and processes.
  2. Identify the main stages in world economic history.
  3. Understand political and institutional contexts and its connection to economic performance.
  4. Identify the main factors of long-term economic growth.
  5. Link economic theory to past and current economic events.

Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme

  • 08 - To understand how leading world economies work, their institutions and interconnections.
  • 10 - To identify long-term economic growth factors and understand the impact of globalisation.
  • 24 - To be able to carry out a financial, social and historical analysis of the environment in which a company operates.
  • 33 - To be able to search for, interpret and convey information.
  • 35 - To analyse time series.
  • 50 - To acquire the ability to relate concepts, analyse and synthesise.
  • 52 - To develop interpersonal skills and the ability to work as part of a team.
  • 54 - To be able to express one’s ideas and formulate arguments in a logical and coherent way, both verbally and in writing.
  • 55 - To adopt good time management skills.
  • 58 - To be able to develop self-assessment exercises.
  • 59 - To skilfully use software and ICTs.

Learning outcomes of the subject

After this course, students will understand the driving forces for economic growth in the long term; they will have identified the major poles of the global economy and analysed the evolution of one of them. They will also have thought about the process of globalisation of the economy over the last two centuries.

They will acquire skills in reading academic texts, carrying out economic analyses and solving problems; they will be able to express themselves in a coherent and organised manner; they will develop time-management skills; they will learn to work in teams and to manage tasks effectively and efficently; they will also learn to build up their learning process in an autonomous way, being aware of their limitations and potential for improvement (self-evaluation) and taking advantage of various software and ICT tools.

Syllabus

Theme 1 Federalism, Urban Economies (Pre-Industrial) and the Industrial Revolution

Theme 1.1. Pre-Industrial European Economies

Theme 1.2. Trade and Technological Change before the Industrial Revolution

Theme 1.3. The British Industrial Revolution

Theme 2 First Globalisation and the Gold Standard System

Theme 2.1. The Spread of the Industrial Revolution

Theme 2.2. First Globalisation: Integration into Goods Markets. Transport Revolution and Free Trade Policies 

Theme 2.3. The Gold Standard System: Integration of Factor Markets. Movement of Capital and Labour

Theme 3 First and Second World War

Theme 3.1. Background to the First World War

Theme 3.2. Consequences of the First World War

Theme 3.3. The 1929 Crash and the Great Depression

Theme 3.4. The Second World War

Theme 4 Capitalism

Theme 4.1. The World after the Second World War. The Golden Age of Capitalism

Theme 4.2. European Integration

Theme 5 20th and 21st Centuries

Theme 5.1. Stagflation and Responses to the Crisis (change in economic policies, crisis of the welfare state)

Theme 5.2. FINAL GROUP WORK: Second Globalisation and International Trade (comparative perspective) (1980-2000)

Theme 5.3. FINAL GROUP WORK: Contemporary Outlook (2000-2019)

 


  1. Support presentations of the different topics
  2. Practical exercises of own elaboration
  3. Practical exercises based on searching for information in databases
  4. Open source videos (Youtube, TV programs,...)
  5. Practical exercise based on reading texts (articles, book chapters)
  6. Expert Conferences

Teaching and learning activities

In person



Theoretical classes:

  • Explanation of course topics
  • Compulsory and optional bibliography

 Practical sessions:

  • Readings and  analyses of texts and figures
  • Numerical calculations
  • Information and data research
  • Time series and graph constructions
  • Videos and films

Evaluation systems and criteria

In person



  • Continuous evaluation (40% of the final mark):
    • Exercises completed at home or in class will be collected (in some cases without advance notice) (15%). These exercises will have a deadline and will NOT be assessed OR accepted if they are submitted after the deadline, unless the absence is justified by force majeure (travel or boarding cards are not accepted to justify absence, and as evidence of health problems official medical justification is required).
    • Final group work (15%).
    • Class participation and good attitude in class (10%).The continuous evaluation will NOT be considered for the final mark when students resit the final examination; the final mark will be based 100% on the second sitting  examination.
  • Midterm exam (20% of the final mark):
    • The partial exam will NOT exempt you from any lectures for the final exam.
  • Final examination (40% of the final mark)*:
    • The final exam will cover ALL lectures.
    • Brief questions (5 or 6 points out of 10)
    • Development question (3 points out of 10)
    • Question/s from group projects (1 or 2 points out of 10)

  • Re-sit exam

    • If you fail the main exam, you will need to retake it in June. In this case, the final grade of the subject will depend 100% on the final examination of the re-sit exam. That is, the continuous assessment will NOT be taken into account.
    • According with the internal rules of the Faculty, the maximum grade you could get in the re-sit exam is a 7.

Observations:

* To pass the course it is essential to get at least a 5 at the final exam of the subject, otherwise you must go directly to the re-sit exam. If the mark of the final exam is less than 5, the maximum total final mark for the subject will be 4,5 (even when accounting for the continuous assessment would lead to a mark greater than 5).

** COMPULSORY ASSISTANCE: In order to attend any exam (final or re-sit exam) you need to attend more than 75% of classes. If you miss more than 4 classes, then you will not be allowed to attend the exam. In this course the professor does not need to know the justification of your absence but you are only allowed to miss 4 classes. Exceptions occur with students that have professional sport competitions duties. In this case, please contact the professor (mflores@uic.es).

 

Bibliography and resources

GENERAL (compulsory)

Lesson 1

 Compulsory 

  • Gregory Clark (2007) A Farewell to Alms:  A Brief Economic History of the World.
  • Nathan Rosenberg and L.E. Birdzell, Jr., (1986). How the West Grew Rich.
  • Zamagni, Vera (2005): Historia económica de la Europa Contemporánea. De la Revolución Industrial a la integración europea. Barcelona, Crítica, pp. 11-27 y 29-45.
  • Feliu, Gaspar y Carles Sudirà (2007): Introducción a la historia económica mundial. Valencia, Universidad de Valencia (Colección Educació. Materials, 102), capítulos del 1 al 5. http://www.uic.es/biblio/controls/fitxa_cons.uic?codi=31449
  • Cameron, Rondo y Larry Neal (2009): Historia económica mundial. Desde el paleolítico hasta el presente. Madrid, Alianza Editorial, capítulos 2 al 7.

  Optional

  • Bernardos, José Ubaldo y Mauro Hernández (2005): “Europa se abre al munod: crecimiento, crisis y divergencia en la Edad Moderna (1450-1650)”, en Comín, Francisco, Mauro Hernández y Enrique Llopis, eds. (2005): Historia económica mundial. Barcelona, Crítica, pp. 67-114.
  • Escudero, Antonio (2005): “La revolución industrial en Gran Bretaña (1760-1840)”, en Comín, Francisco, Mauro Hernández y Enrique Llopis, eds. (2005): Historia económica mundial. Barcelona, Crítica, pp. 155-197”.
  • Llopis Agelán, Enrique (2005): “Europa entre Westfalia y Waterloo, 1648-1815: «un tiempo más de siembras que de cosechas»”, en Comín, Francisco, Mauro Hernández y Enrique Llopis, eds. (2005): Historia económica mundial. Barcelona, Crítica, pp. 115-154.
  • Mokyr, Joel (1987): “La Revolución Industrial y la Nueva Historia Económica (I)”, en Revista de Historia Económica, año V, núm. 2, pp. 203-241.
  • Mokyr, Joel (1987): “La Revolución Industrial y la Nueva Historia Económica (y II)”, en Revista de Historia Económica, año V, núm. 3, pp. 441-482.
  • Sebastián Amarilla, José Antonio (2005): “La Edad Media (c. 1000-c. 1450). Configuración y primer despegue de la economía europea”, en Comín, Francisco, Mauro Hernández y Enrique Llopis, eds. (2005): Historia económica mundial. Barcelona, Crítica, pp. 15-66.

 Lesson 2

Compulsory 

  • Barry Eichengreen (2008). Globalizing Capital:  A History of the International Monetary System, second edition.
  • Kevin O’Rourke and Jeffrey Williamson (1999). Globalization and History 
  • Chandler, Alfred Jr. (1996): Escala y diversificación. La dinámica del capitalismo industrial. Zaragoza, Prensas Universitarias de Zaragoza, pp. 3-73).
  • Feliu, Gaspar y Carles Sudirà (2007): Introducción a la historia económica mundial. Valencia, Universidad de Valencia (Colección Educació. Materials, 102), capítulos 6 al 10.

Optional 

  • Cameron, Rondo y Larry Neal (2009): Historia económica mundial. Desde el paleolítico hasta el presente. Madrid, Alianza Editorial, capítulos 7 al 12.
  • Comín, Francisco (2005): “La segunda industrialización en el marco de la Primera Globalización (1870-1913”, en Comín, Francisco, Mauro Hernández y Enrique Llopis, eds. (2005): Historia económica mundial. Barcelona, Crítica, pp. 239-286.
  • Marichal, Carlos (2010): Nueva historia de las grandes crisis financieras. Una perspectiva global, 1873-2008. Barcelona, Debate, pp. 37-83.
  • Parejo, Antonio (2005): “La difusión de la industrialización y la emergencia de las economías capitalistas (1815-1870)”, en Comín, Francisco, Mauro Hernández y Enrique Llopis, eds. (2005): Historia económica mundial. Barcelona, Crítica, pp. 200-237.
  • Zamagni, Vera (2005): Historia económica de la Europa Contemporánea. De la Revolución Industrial a la integración europea. Barcelona, Crítica, pp. 47-64, 65-83, 85-100, 101-122 y 123-141.

 Lesson 3

Compulsory

  • John Nye (2007). War, Wine and Taxes.
  • Jared Diamond (1997). Guns, Germs, and Steel.
  • Marichal, Carlos (2010): Nueva historia de las grandes crisis financieras. Una perspectiva global, 1873-2008. Barcelona, Debate, pp. 85-135 (capítulo: “El colapso financiero de 1929 ¿Por qué hubo una Gran Depresión en los años 30?”).
  • Feliu, Gaspar y Carles Sudirà (2007): Introducción a la historia económica mundial. Valencia, Universidad de Valencia (Colección Educació. Materials, 102), capítulos 11 al 16.

Optional

  • Cameron, Rondo y Larry Neal (2009): Historia económica mundial. Desde el paleolítico hasta el presente. Madrid, Alianza Editorial, capítulos 13 y 14.
  • Aldcroft, Derek H. (2003): Historia de la economía europea. 1914-2000. Barcelona, Crítica, pp. 11-44, 45-79 y 81-118.
  • Marichal, Carlos (2010): Nueva historia de las grandes crisis financieras. Una perspectiva global, 1873-2008. Barcelona, Debate, pp. 85-135.
  • Tafunell, Xavier (2005): “La economía internacional en los años de entreguerras (1914-1945)”, en Comín, Francisco, Mauro Hernández y Enrique Llopis, eds. (2005): Historia económica mundial. Barcelona, Crítica, pp. 287-237.
  • Zamagni, Vera (2005): Historia económica de la Europa Contemporánea. De la Revolución Industrial a la integración europea. Barcelona, Crítica, pp. 143-156, 157-168, 168-181, 183-194 y 195-212.

 Lesson 4

Compulsory 

  • Jeffry Frieden (2006). Global Capitalism:  Its Fall and Rise in the Twentieth Century 
  • Ohno, T. (1998): “How the Toyota production system was created”, en Tolliday, Steven, ed., The Rise and Fall of the Mass Production, vol. II. Cheltenham, Reino Unido, Edward Elgar (The International library of critical writings in business history, 16).
  • Feliu, Gaspar y Carles Sudirà (2007): Introducción a la historia económica mundial. Valencia, Universidad de Valencia (Colección Educació. Materials, 102), capítulos 17 al 20.

Optional

  • Cameron, Rondo y Larry Neal (2009): Historia económica mundial. Desde el paleolítico hasta el presente. Madrid, Alianza Editorial, capítulo 15.
  •  Aldcroft, Derek H. (2003): Historia de la economía europea. 1914-2000. Barcelona, Crítica, pp. 119-156, 157-223 y 225-251.
  • Barciela, Carlos (2005): “La Edad de Oro del capitalismo (1945-1973)”, en Comín, Francisco, Mauro Hernández y Enrique Llopis, eds. (2005): Historia económica mundial. Barcelona, Crítica, pp. 239-289.
  • Marichal, Carlos (2010): Nueva historia de las grandes crisis financieras. Una perspectiva global, 1873-2008. Barcelona, Debate, pp. 137-178.
  • Zamagni, Vera (2005): Historia económica de la Europa Contemporánea. De la Revolución Industrial a la integración europea. Barcelona, Crítica, pp. 213-238 y 239-258.

 Lesson 5

Compulsory 

  • Daniel Yergin and Joseph Stanislaw (1997). The Commanding Heights.
  • Marichal, Carlos (2010): Nueva historia de las grandes crisis financieras. Una perspectiva global, 1873-2008. Barcelona, Debate, pp. 225-271 (capítulo: La globalización financiera a fines del milenio, 1990-2006: ¿Por qué se multiplicaron las crisis?”). Lectura recomendada, pp. 273-322 (capítulo: “La crisis financiera y económica de 2008-2009).
  • Carreras, Albert y Xavier Tafunell (2003): Historia económica de la España contemporánea. Barcelona, Crítica, pp. 29-50 y 435-467, caìtulos 21 y 22.
  • Feliu, Gaspar y Carles Sudirà (2007): Introducción a la historia económica mundial. Valencia, Universidad de Valencia (Colección Educació. Materials, 102).

Optional

  • Cameron, Rondo y Larry Neal (2009): Historia económica mundial. Desde el paleolítico hasta el presente. Madrid, Alianza Editorial, capítulo 16.
  • Aldcroft, Derek H. (2003): Historia de la economía europea. 1914-2000. Barcelona, Crítica, pp. 253-289 y 291-317.
  • Krugman, Paul (2000): El retorno de la economía de la depresión. Barcelona, Crítica.
  • Marichal, Carlos (2010): Nueva historia de las grandes crisis financieras. Una perspectiva global, 1873-2008. Barcelona, Debate, pp. 178-224, 225-271 y 273-322.
  • Segura, Julio (2005): “La economía mundial entre 1973 yy el siglo XXI: el final del crecimiento dorado”, en Comín, Francisco, Mauro Hernández y Enrique Llopis, eds. (2005): Historia económica mundial. Barcelona, Crítica, pp. 391-432.
  • Stiglitz, Joseph E. (2003): Los felices 90. La semilla de la destrucción. Madrid, Taurus.

Zamagni, Vera (2005): Historia económica de la Europa Contemporánea. De la Revolución Industrial a la integración europea. Barcelona, Crítica, pp. 239-258.

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