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Cultural entrepreneurs and the origins of modern economic growth

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  • Joel Mokyr

Abstract

The concept of entrepreneur is a central one in economic history. The definition of entrepreneur is extended here to include 'cultural entrepreneurs' and show how they can be integrated into the new modern economic interpretation of 'culture' as agents who change the beliefs of others. This concept can help us understand one of the central dilemmas of modern economic history, namely how the new institutional economic history can be deployed to understand modern economic growth. Cultural changes in the early modern age led to institutional changes that made Europe more friendly to innovation. In that process, two English figures can be seen as central, Francis Bacon and Isaac Newton. The essay shows how they meet the definition of a cultural entrepreneur and how their work coordinated and focused cultural change that was instrumental in preparing the ground for the Industrial Revolution.

Suggested Citation

  • Joel Mokyr, 2013. "Cultural entrepreneurs and the origins of modern economic growth," Scandinavian Economic History Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 61(1), pages 1-33, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:sehrxx:v:61:y:2013:i:1:p:1-33
    DOI: 10.1080/03585522.2012.755471
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Enrico Spolaore & Romain Wacziarg, 2013. "How Deep Are the Roots of Economic Development?," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 51(2), pages 325-369, June.
    2. MacLeod,Christine, 2007. "Heroes of Invention," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521873703, October.
    3. Daron Acemoglu & Matthew O. Jackson, 2011. "History, Expectations, and Leadership in Evolution of Cooperation," Levine's Working Paper Archive 786969000000000106, David K. Levine.
    4. Daron Acemoglu & Matthew O. Jackson, 2015. "History, Expectations, and Leadership in the Evolution of Social Norms," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 82(2), pages 423-456.
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    Cited by:

    1. Pál Czeglédi, 2017. "Productivity, institutions, and market beliefs: three entrepreneurial interpretations," Journal of Entrepreneurship and Public Policy, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 6(2), pages 164-180, August.
    2. Marco Bettiol & Vladi Finotto & Eleonora Di Maria & Stefano Micelli, 2014. "The hidden side of innovation: why tinkerers matter," Working Papers 08, Venice School of Management - Department of Management, Università Ca' Foscari Venezia.
    3. Michela Giorcelli & Nicola Lacetera & Astrid Marinoni, 2022. "How does scientific progress affect cultural changes? A digital text analysis," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 27(3), pages 415-452, September.
    4. Ružica Šimić Banović, 2019. "Uhljeb – a post-socialist homo croaticus: a personification of the economy of favours in Croatia?," Post-Communist Economies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 31(3), pages 279-300, May.
    5. Pavel Kuchař, 2016. "Entrepreneurship and institutional change," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 26(2), pages 349-379, May.
    6. PURCAREA, Irina, 2015. "Cultural entrepreneurship. The importance of developing cultural competences within the framework of resource mobilization," Holistic Marketing Management Journal, Holistic Marketing Management, vol. 5(4), pages 15-21, December.
    7. Ruzica Simic Banovic, 2015. "(Former) Informal Networks As A Reflection Of Informal Institutions In East European Transitional Societies: Legacy Or Opportunism?," Equilibrium. Quarterly Journal of Economics and Economic Policy, Institute of Economic Research, vol. 10(1), pages 179-205, March.
    8. Johannes Binswanger & Anja Garbely & Manuel Oechslin, 2023. "Investor beliefs about transformative innovations under uncertainty," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 90(360), pages 1119-1144, October.
    9. Michela Giorcelli & Nicola Lacetera & Astrid Marinoni, 2019. "Does Scientific Progress Affect Culture? A Digital Text Analysis," CESifo Working Paper Series 7499, CESifo.

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