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India in the Rise of Britain and Europe: A Contribution to the Convergence and Great Divergence Debates

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  • Prabir Bhattacharya

Abstract

This article discusses the role of the British control of India in the rise of Britain and Europe as well as in the convergence in incomes within the Atlantic economy in the late nineteenth century. Britain was at the apex of the world economy throughout most of the nineteenth century. The article argues that the emergence of Britain as the apex economic and political power depended on her control over India. This control of India then enabled Britain to pursue a set of policies that were of critical importance, both for the convergence in incomes within the Atlantic economy and the rise of Europe. The thesis advanced here can be viewed, depending on one’s prior position, as being either complementary to or alternative to the views of many of the protagonists of the divergence debate in the literature. JEL: N10, N13, N15, N70, O4

Suggested Citation

  • Prabir Bhattacharya, 2021. "India in the Rise of Britain and Europe: A Contribution to the Convergence and Great Divergence Debates," Journal of Interdisciplinary Economics, , vol. 33(1), pages 24-53, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:jinter:v:33:y:2021:i:1:p:24-53
    DOI: 10.1177/0260107920907196
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    India; Britain; rise of Europe; incomes; convergence; divergence;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • N10 - Economic History - - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics; Industrial Structure; Growth; Fluctuations - - - General, International, or Comparative
    • N13 - Economic History - - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics; Industrial Structure; Growth; Fluctuations - - - Europe: Pre-1913
    • N15 - Economic History - - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics; Industrial Structure; Growth; Fluctuations - - - Asia including Middle East
    • N70 - Economic History - - Economic History: Transport, International and Domestic Trade, Energy, and Other Services - - - General, International, or Comparative
    • O4 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity

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