The course examines the historical transformations at the roots of modern industrial economies, framing the emergence and evolution of political economy as an intellectual discipline against this background. Students will be taught to consider the importance of various driving factors in economic history, such as demographic shifts, capital accumulation, technological adaptation, and institutional change. They will also learn how to see these historical transformations through the eyes of eminent thinkers from the past, thus acquiring a robust knowledge of the major topics in the history of political economy. After a brief discussion of different interpretations about the origins of the modern economy, each unit will focus on a specific period in modern world history, combining an overview of the socioeconomic transformations taking place at the time with an in-depth discussion of representative works from that era. Assessment will be strongly oriented toward essay writing, giving students an opportunity to learn how to develop an academic argument respecting the disciplinary practices of economics.
