Rulers, Religion, and Riches - Why the West Got Rich and the Middle East Did Not

Informationen zum Autor Jared Rubin is an Associate Professor of Economics at Chapman University, California. His research on the relationship between political and religious institutions and their role in economic development has appeared in numerous leading economics journals. Klappentext For centuries following the spread of Islam, the Middle East was far ahead of Europe. Yet, the modern economy was born in Europe. Why was it not born in the Middle East? In this book Jared Rubin examines the role that Islam played in this reversal of fortunes. It argues that the religion itself is not to blame; the importance of religious legitimacy in Middle Eastern politics was the primary culprit. Muslim religious authorities were given an important seat at the political bargaining table, which they used to block important advancements such as the printing press and lending at interest. In Europe, however, the Church played a weaker role in legitimizing rule, especially where Protestantism spread (indeed, the Reformation was successful due to the spread of printing, which was blocked in the Middle East). It was precisely in those Protestant nations, especially England and the Dutch Republic, where the modern economy was born. Zusammenfassung This book discusses the role that Islam and Christianity played in the long-run economic reversal of fortunes between Western Europe and the Middle East. Instead of focusing on the content of the religions! it documents the importance of religious legitimacy in politics as a driving force in the economic divergence. Inhaltsverzeichnis 1. Introduction; Part I. Propagation of Rule: A Theory of Economic Success and Stagnation: 2. The propagation rule; 3. Historical origins of rule propagation; Part II. Applying the Theory: Why the West Got Rich and the Middle East Did Not: 4. Bans on taking interest; 5. Restrictions on the printing press; 6. Printing and the Reformation; 7. Success: England and the Dutch Republic; 8. Stagnation: Spain and the Ottoman Empire; 9. Conclusion....

Product details

• Authors: Jared Rubin, Jared (Chapman University Rubin, Rubin Jared
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press ELT
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 28.02.2017
• EAN: 9781107036819
• ISBN: 978-1-107-03681-9
• No. of pages: 288
• Series: Cambridge Studies in Economics, Choice, and Society; Cambridge Studies in Economics, Choice, and Society
• Subjects: Education and learning > Adult education/adult education classes; Humanities, art, music > History; Social sciences, law, business > Business > International economy; HISTORY / Middle East / General, POLITICAL SCIENCE / Political Economy, HISTORY / World, BUSINESS & ECONOMICS / Development / Economic Development, General & world history, Political Economy, Middle Eastern history, General and world history, Development economics & emerging economies, Development economics and emerging economies