Economic history

obligatory courses

The course presents the evolution of European and world economy and enlarges knowledge about the genesis of modern economy, the institutional constraints of the economic growth. Students know the historical context of the origins and development of the economic theories, course gives a solid foundation for the studies of contemporary micro- and macroeconomics. Student recognize economic and civilizational cycles as well as the evolution of economic sciences during the process of the rise of the modern world. Student is able to evaluate on a basic level the advantages and disadvantages of both, positivist and anti-positivist socio-economic explanations in economic sciences.

The aim of the course is also to develop abilities of critical reading, academic writing and the communication skills. Student is able to prepare an academic paper, formulate research hypotheses and prepare an oral presentation.

1. Academic writing classes. The basic rules of academic writing: how to prepare proposal, bibliography, notes, search data and information using Internet, libraries and other resources; what means to perpetrate plagiarism. (4 hours).

Student knows the basic rules of academic writing and knows how to search data and information to the given topic. Student knows how prepare the academic paper and understands what means to perpetrate plagiarism.

2. Workshops. Workshops develop abilities of critical reading, academic writing and the communication skills. (6 hours).

Students prepare the exemplar academic paper an oral presentation. Students learn by using and completing data and information for his/her research paper using Internet, libraries and other resources. Student learn how to formulate research problems and questions on his/her own as well as justify their importance basing on literature. Student knows theories, data, methods of economic history analyzes. He/she is able to indicate economic theories to interpret economic changes. Student is able to prepare paper which fulfill all requirements; to prepare an oral presentation based on his own analyses. Student is able to present and discuss his conception and arguments and evaluate economic and social changes referring to the selected normative systems (legal, moral).

3. Determinants of economic development. Stocks, technologies, innovations. The role of institutions in economic development. The evolution of economic systems, capitalistic economy and market economy. The main concepts of economic history. The main periods of economic development in the world history. (4 hours).

Student knows the mechanism of formation the local, national and Atlantic zone market and understands the process of creation the world economy. Student knows the mechanisms of international trade from the Middle Ages onward. Student knows reasons of structural changes in world economy. Student is able to perform the comparative analysis of the selected economic phenomena in historical perspective

J. Skodlarski, R. Matera, chapter 12; R. Cameron, chapter 1; J. Szpak, chapter 2.

4. Economy in the middle ages. The Feudal System. The agrarian attitudes, economic role of city, international trade, formation of banks and credit. (4 hours).

Student knows the mechanism of formation the local market. Student is able to use basic economic knowledge to analyze the sources of changes in medieval economy.

R. Cameron, chapter 3.

5. Early Capitalism (1500-1760). European economy before Capitalism, formation of the capitalist system in agriculture, industry and trade. Economic dualism. The geographic discoveries and colonial expansionism. (4 hours.).

Student knows the mechanism of formation the national and Atlantic zone market and understands the process of creation proto-capitalist institutions. Student understands the mechanism of formation the national and Atlantic zone market. Student knows the different between British and French Capitalism and the rise of proto-capitalist institutions.

J. Skodlarski, R. Matera, chapter 3; R. Cameron, chapter 5 i 6; Jezierski A., Leszczyńska C., chapter 2.

6. Industrial Revolution (1760-1850). The origins of Industrial Revolution (England), industrial revolution in the Continent. The technological and technical progress, innovations, models of industrialization, regionals variants (p. e. the pro-industrial reforms of Drucki-Lubecki). (4 hours.).

Student understands the causes of European advantage in economy in the time of industrial revolution; knows different economic policies, the social, political and demographic constraints which determined the creation of industrial economy and the evolution of firm. Student is able to use basic economic knowledge to analyze the sources of changes in 19th Century and analyze the rise of the Industrial Revolution and modern economic growth.

J. Skodlarski, R. Matera, chapter 4; R. Cameron, chapter 7 i 9; P. Kennedy, chapter 4; Jezierski A., Leszczyńska C., chapter 6.

7. The First Globalization (1850-1914). Technology and globalization. The process of creation the world economy, protectionism and free trade system. The Second Industrial Revolution - old and new industrial power. The evolution of entrepreneurship. Social revolution - new social classes, new ideologies. International migrations. (8 hours.).

Student knows the consequences of globalization, changes in international match of power. Student understands the causes of European advantage in economy in the time of the First Globalization. Student understands the difference between protectionism and free trade system.

J. Skodlarski, R. Matera, chapter 5; R. Cameron, chapter 11; P. Kennedy, chapter 5; Ingham G., chapter 2, 3.

8. De - Globalization (1914-1970). The First and Second World War, its causes and consequences. The reasons of De-Globalization. The Great Depression. New order in world economy and new centers of world economy after the Second World War. The rise of communists system and central planned economies. European economic integration. Postwar decolonization and regional integration. Third World, the challenge of development. Power Structure in the 20th Century. (8 hours).

Student understands the causes of the world wars, The Great Depression and economic crises after the II World War. Student can use basic economic knowledge to analyze the globalization, forming of the national economies. He/she is able to identify and analyze the economic causes of de-globalization in interwar period, Great Depression and post-war depressions. Student is able to explain the postwar decolonization and regional integration.

J. Skodlarski, R. Matera, chapter 6-9; R. Cameron, chapter 14-15; P. Kennedy, chapter 7.

9. Towards a Second Globalization (after 1970.): The crisis of 1970. Highly industrialized countries after 1970. Uprisings and crisis’s of communist power, the fall of communists system and transformation to market economy. The financial capitalism - reasons of structural changes in world economy. Institutions and institutional change. Deregulations and development of international co-dependence. New paradigms in economic policy. (6 hours).

Student knows the mechanism of formation the international market and understands the process of creation the world economy. Student understands the evolution of entrepreneurship – from workshop to modern corporation; is knowledgeable about changes of economic institutions, legal and organizational constraints and about evolution of property rights.

J. Skodlarski, R. Matera, chapter 10 - 11; D. Landes, chapter 27-29.

10. Core and Periphery. Economic centers in Europe through the time. “Long durée” and path dependency – economic and historical explanations and interpretations (Braudel, Wallerstein). From traditional to modern economy, development of Polish economy. (4 hours).

Student is able to use basic economic knowledge to analyze the sources of changes national economies in European core and Periphery - imitation the West. Student can explain the process of the rise of capitalist institutions in economic centers and periphery and long-term process of the forming of modern economy. Student is able to use economic theories to analyze the waves of convergence and divergence in the rise of the modern world.

Braudel F., chapter I.

11. Monetary Systems, Financial Institutions. The monetary systems form historical perspectives. The Gold Standard Era. The collapse of Gold Standard (1930.). The money system in the second half of the 20th Century. The Bretton Woods International Monetary System. The End of the Bretton Woods System. Historical inflations and deflations. Financial systems, their evolution. Financial systems and economic growth. (6 hours.).

Student has knowledge of the evolution monetary systems and different between Gold Standard and the money system in the second half of the 20th Century. Student is able to analyze the connections between inflations/ deflations and monetary systems. Student knows of profound importance of the financial institutions for economic growth.

Ferguson N., p. 344-362, Ingham G, p. 85-119, 187-222 ; Sedillot R., p. 93-297 ; Rousseau P., p. 1-49 ; Rousseau P. i Sylla R., p. 1-72.

12. Preindustrial, Industrial and Postindustrial Society. The Welfare State. Economic development and social structures. The origins and development of welfare state. Economic theories related to the idea of welfare state. The place of human being in different types of societies. The economic consequences of social changes New conceptions of socio-economic policies in the late 20th century. (4 hours).

Student has knowledge of the structure and identity of preindustrial, industrial and postindustrial society. Student knows the place of human being in different types of societies; understands the process of emancipation of the human being in the changing demographics, economic and social constraints. Student has knowledge of the origins and development of welfare state; he/she understands economic theories related to the idea of welfare state. Student knows the new conceptions of economic policies in the late 20th century. Student is able to analyze the economic consequences of social changes from Medieval period until today.

Berger P., p. 48-199; Ingham G., chapter 5; Państwo socjalne w Europie, p. 33-301.

Braudel F., Kultura materialna, gospodarka i kapitalizm, XV-XVIII wiek, t. 2, Gry wymiany, Warszawa 1992.

Berger P. L., Rewolucja kapitalistyczna, Warszawa 1995.

Cameron R. i L. Neale, Historia gospodarcza świata. Od paleolitu do czasów najnowszych. Warszawa 2004.

Ferguson N., Potęga pieniądza. Finansowa historia świata, Wydawnictwo Literackie 2010.

C. Ingham, Kapitalizm, Warszawa 2011.

Ingham G., Kapitalizm, Warszawa 2011.

Kennedy P., Mocarstwa świata. Narodziny. Rozkwit. Upadek, Warszawa 1995.

Jezierski A. i C. Leszczyńska, Historia gospodarcza Polski, Warszawa 1997.

Landes D.S., Bogactwo i nędza narodów. Dlaczego jedni są tak bogaci, a inni tak ubodzy, Warszawa 2000.

Państwo socjalne w Europie, red. K. Kraus, T. Geisen, K. Piątek, Toruń 2001.

Rousseau P., Historical Perspectives on Financial Development and Economic Growth, National Bureau of Economic Research, Working Paper, 2002, No. 9333.

Rousseau P., Sylla R., Financial systems, economic growth, and globalization, National Bureau of Economic Research, Working Paper, 2001, No. 8323.

Sedillot R., Moralna i niemoralna historia pieniądza, Warszawa 2002.

Skodlarski J., Matera R., Gospodarka światowa. Geneza i rozwój, Warszawa 2004.

Szpak J., Historia gospodarcza powszechna, Warszawa 2003.

Williamson O., Ekonomiczne instytucje kapitalizmu: firmy, rynki, relacje kontraktowe, Warszawa 1998.

Recommended readings will be given direct by course lectures on seminar.

Knowledge:

The course enlarges the student’s knowledge about the evolution of European and world economy. Students understand the genesis of today’s economy and know the institutional constraints of the modern economic growth. The classes unveil that the economy was still evolving in the history and now we observe only a stage in its development. The course presents the historical context of the origins and development of the economic theories; gives a solid foundation for the future studies of contemporary micro- and macroeconomics.

Competences:

Upon completion of the course student is able to perform basic analyses of the long term economic processes in a broader social, political, ecological and demographic context. He/she is able to recognize economic and civilizational cycles as well as the evolution of economic sciences during the process of the rise of the modern world. Student is able to evaluate on a basic level the advantages and disadvantages of both, positivist and anti-positivist socio-economic explanations in economic sciences. Student, after one semester of systematic work, is able to prepare an academic paper, formulate research hypotheses, and prepare an oral presentation.

Social competences:

Upon completion of the course student is prepared to work in the team, he/she can organize the collective work, is responsible for his/her tasks. Student is able to find out data and information by their own and then properly analyze them. Student is able to formulate the research question and prepare the essay. The course is also designed to develop the competences of critical thinking, analyzing problems and identifying information as well as the public presentations and discussions. In addition, student is able to identify his/her incompetence and lack of knowledge, and is conscious of the lifetime-learning process. Students are prepared for the public presentations, discussions and critical analyze of the opinions of others. They are able to identify their incompetence and lack of knowledge, and are conscious of the lifetime-learning process.

KW01, KW02, KW03, KU01, KU02, KU03, KU04,

For credit and grade the students are expected to:

1. Pass a written final exam.

2. Prepare oral presentation (ca. 30 min. long.).

3. Prepare a paper of 10-15 pages (18-27tsd. chars).

4. Participate actively in classes.

5. Presence a lectures mandatory.

6. Four absences possible.