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Mechanical innovation in the industrial revolution: the case of plough design

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  • Liam Brunt

Abstract

Variations in levels of embodied technology generated variations in English plough prices in 1770. Using plough prices as a quality index, this article explains size and daily output of plough teams. It shows that variations in plough technology were due to technological change—not static optimization—and village plough technology was influenced by neighbouring villages. But technological advance was not constrained on the demand size: farmers purchased the best ploughs available. Rather, local supply of technology was the limiting factor. Technological change, urbanization, and information networks are rejected as explanations of local supply of technology. The key factor was market density.

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  • Liam Brunt, 2003. "Mechanical innovation in the industrial revolution: the case of plough design," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 56(3), pages 444-477, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ehsrev:v:56:y:2003:i:3:p:444-477
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-0289.2003.00258.x
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    Cited by:

    1. Ram N. Acharya & Jay Lillywhite, 2021. "The Role of Push and Pull Motivations on Satisfaction and Consumer Loyalty to Agricultural Fairs," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-14, September.
    2. Gollin, Douglas & Parente, Stephen L. & Rogerson, Richard, 2007. "The food problem and the evolution of international income levels," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 54(4), pages 1230-1255, May.
    3. Peter Berg & Mark Staley, 2015. "Capital substitution in an industrial revolution," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 48(5), pages 1975-2004, December.
    4. Madsen, Jakob & Strulik, Holger, 2020. "Technological change and inequality in the very long run," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    5. Madsen, Jakob & Strulik, Holger, 2024. "Inequality and the Industrial Revolution," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 164(C).
    6. Acharya, Ram, 2016. "Motivation, Attitude, and Participation in Agricultural Fairs," 2016 Annual Meeting, July 31-August 2, Boston, Massachusetts 235916, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    7. George Grantham, 2010. "What'S Space Got To Do With It? Distance And Agricultural Productivity Before The Railway Age," Departmental Working Papers 2010-04, McGill University, Department of Economics.
    8. Staley, Mark, 2011. "Growth and the diffusion of ideas," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 47(4-5), pages 470-478.
    9. James B. Ang & Rajabrata Banerjee & Jakob B. Madsen, 2013. "Innovation and Productivity Advances in British Agriculture: 1620–1850," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 80(1), pages 162-186, July.

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