Ekonomisk historia: Den globala ekonomin och den långsiktiga ekonomiska tillväxten

This course studies historical processes of growth, convergence and divergence in the global economy over the past two centuries. Two major approaches are applied. One takes its point of departure in theories of economic growth, basically on the role of capital and labour and the level of technology. The first generation of formal models, in the 1950s, predicted a convergence in income levels in the world. Recent generations of growth models allows however for income divergence among countries. The other approach takes its point of departure in theories about the international economy. Determinants as well as effects of international trade, migration, and movements of capital are studied. The impact of open economy forces on factor prices, that is, on the earnings of labour and the cost of capital, and its relation to growth is analysed. With the application of these two approaches the course studies historical processes of growth, convergence and divergence in the global economy.