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What motivated the Industrial Revolution: England's libertarian culture or affluence per se?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 November 2019

Scott Atran Open the ORCID record for Scott Atran [Opens in a new window]
Scott Atran*
Affiliation:
The Changing Character of War Centre, Pembroke College, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 1DW, United Kingdom. [email protected] https://artisinternational.org/scott-atran/
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Abstract

What impelled the Industrial Revolution's spectacular economic growth? Life History Theory, Baumard argues, explains how England's world-supreme affluence psychologically fostered innovation; moreover, wherever similar affluence abounds, a “civilizing process” bringing enlightenment and democracy is apt to evolve. Baumard insightfully analyzes a “constellation of affluence” but proffers somewhat whiggish history given England's prior and unique proto-capitalist culture of economic liberty and individualism.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 42 , 2019 , e193
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Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2019 

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