A Culture of Growth
Joel Mokyr's research culminating in the 2025 Nobel Prize in Economics · A Culture of Growth: The Origins of the Modern Economy (2016)
Sustained economic growth requires both a culture that values and tolerates disruption and a scientific mindset that seeks to understand causal mechanisms, enabling innovation to compound.
Core Concepts
The Problem
Why did economic growth become self-sustaining only in early modern Europe?
The Claim
Growth became possible when societies developed a 'culture of growth' that respected science, accepted change, and fostered cooperation beyond kinship.
Key Evidence
- •Comparative historical analysis of European corporations vs. Chinese clans
- •Role of the Catholic Church in dismantling clan structures through marriage laws
- •Institutional divergence between fragmented Europe and unified China
Practical Implication
Policies that hinder cultural attitudes toward science and change can stifle long-term economic growth.
Nuance & Limits
The culture of growth is not inevitable; it requires continuous reinforcement and can be reversed.
Source Material
Citation Density
high
Gaps
- ⚠ The exact mechanisms that translate cultural beliefs into economic outcomes remain debated.
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