Nature or Nurture? Explaining English Wheat Yields in the Agricultural Revolution.

Details

Serval ID
serval:BIB_C9A587D02800
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Title
Nature or Nurture? Explaining English Wheat Yields in the Agricultural Revolution.
Journal
Journal of Economic History
Author(s)
Brunt L.
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2004
Volume
64
Number
1
Pages
193-225
Abstract
We estimate a model of wheat yields for eighteenth century England using village-level data. This is an entirely new approach to quantifying progress during the Agricultural Revolution and enables us to consider both environmental and technological inputs. We find that climate was a crucial factor but soil quality was much less important, thus throwing doubt on traditional explanations for England?s high productivity. Traditional technologies such as drainage were effective in raising yields, but the technological innovations of the eighteenth century were much more effective. We find that turnips and seed drills were by far the most important innovations, contrary to the received wisdom.
Keywords
Z3
Create date
19/11/2007 11:48
Last modification date
20/08/2019 16:44
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