Peer Vries's Great Divergence

• Published in: Tijdschrift voor sociale en economische geschiedenis Vol. 12; no. 2; pp. 93 - 104
• Main Author: Mokyr, Joel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam International Institute of Social History 15.06.2015; Leuven University Press; openjournals.nl
• Subjects: Economic growth; History; Hypotheses; United Kingdom > UK; Europe; China

While that may not have been its original purpose, the examination system turned into a powerful tool to defend incumbents against the threat of intellectual innovators who threatened their political power and the value of their human capital. The Mandarin civil service examinations, Needham insiste...