The bounty of the sea and long-run development

Carl-Johan Dalgaard, Anne Sofie B. Knudsen and Pablo Selaya
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Anne Sofie B. Knudsen: Harvard University

Journal of Economic Growth, 2020, vol. 25, issue 3, No 1, 259-295

Abstract: Abstract We document that a high level of natural productivity of the ocean—a rich bounty of the sea—has had a positive and persistent impact on economic development since pre-industrial times until today. In addition, we document that it is the bounty of the sea of the ancestors of current populations which drives the persistent effect, not geography per se. We argue that an explanation is that a rich bounty of the sea facilitated early coastal settlements and an early coastal orientation of pre-industrial economic activity. This gave rise to occupations outside of agriculture and capabilities that were complementary to early industrialization. In the long run this contributed to an early take-off to sustained economic growth.

Keywords: Comparative development; Coastal orientation; Industrialization (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O11 O13 O47 O57 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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Related works:
Working Paper: The Bounty of the Sea and Long-Run Development (2015)
Working Paper: The Bounty of the Sea and Long-Run Development (2015)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:kap:jecgro:v:25:y:2020:i:3:d:10.1007_s10887-020-09181-8

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DOI: 10.1007/s10887-020-09181-8

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