The average person in 1800 was no better off—and possibly worse off—than a hunter-gatherer from 100,000 BC.
Gregory Clark’s (2007) is a seminal yet controversial work that attempts to explain why the Industrial Revolution happened when and where it did. Core Argument: The Malthusian Trap Gregory_Clark - A_Farewell_to_Alms.pdf
Clark argues that before 1800, humanity lived in a : The average person in 1800 was no better
Clark’s most controversial claim is that the Industrial Revolution was driven by rather than just institutions or geography. A Farewell to Alms: - Economics Gregory_Clark - A_Farewell_to_Alms.pdf
In this world, events that reduced population (like the Black Death) temporarily raised living standards for survivors, while "good" things like peace and stability could actually lower per capita income by increasing population density. The Breakout: "Survival of the Richest"