The Lever of Riches: Technological Creativity and Economic Progress
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.70 (621 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 0195074777 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 368 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2015-09-20 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
Lawrence Univ."An informative and well-written study of humankind's progress."--J.M. It is closely reasoned and well executed"--Nathan Rosenberg, Stanford University"Joel Mokyr likes telling his story and he tells it well; his book makes for good reading and rereading, and this in itself sets him apart from many of his fellow economic historians."--The New York Times Book Review"Mokyr's examples are so comprehensive, his knowledge so detailed, and his conclusions so broad and firmly drawn that the reader comes away full of insight."--The Christian Science
"Rather dry and dull." according to Abacus. I found this book made a fascinating subject really boring. I had a tough time finnishing it.In all fairness, I learned quite a few interesting things. One of them being that the Greek civilization was not so great after all. This civilization developed great intellect, but no technological innovators. Their technology relied on harnessing the energy of their slaves period. They had no incentive to innovate, that would have caused an idle and restless underclass prone to civil unrest.I am sure there must be another much more interesting book about the same s. "Why were and are some societies so creative, while others are not?" according to Tektrader. Why were and are some societies so much more creative than others? Joel Mokyr, well known economic historian, tackles this important question. In his view, technological creativity has two components: invention (individual breakthroughs) and innovation (social and economic factors that lead to widespread adoption and improvement of technology).He then takes the reader on a breathtaking journey through classical antiquity, the middle ages, the Renaissance, the Industrial Revolution and the late Nineteenth century. This section alone is worth the price of the . An Invaluable Frame of Reference According to Joel Mokyr, economic growth is the result of four distinct processes: Investment (increases in the capital stock), Commercial Expansion, Scale or Size Effects, and Increase in the Stock of Human Knowledge (which includes technological progress proper as well as changes in institutions). Throughout his brilliant book, he correlates technological creativity with economic progress throughout classical antiquity, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Industrial Revolution, and then into the later 19th century.In Chapter 12 ("Epilogue"), he further d
In a world of supercomputers, genetic engineering, and fiber optics, technological creativity is ever more the key to economic success. He questions the importance of such commonly-cited factors as the spill-over benefits of war, the abundance of natural resources, life expectancy, and labor costs. The Lever of Riches, with its keen analysis derived from a sweeping survey of creativity throughout history, offers telling insights into the question of how Western economies can maintain, and developing nations can unlock, their creative potential.. But why are some nations more creative than others, and why do some highly innovative societies--such as ancient China, or Britain in the industrial revolution--pass into stagnation? Beginning with a fascinating, concise history of technological progress, Mokyr sets the background for his analysis by tracing the major inventions and innovations that have tr
Joel Mokyr is Professor of Economics and History at Northwestern University, and is the author of Why Ireland Starved, The Economics of the Industrial Revolution, and other books in economic history.