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The Wheels of Change: Technology Adoption, Millwrights, and Persistence in Britain’s Industrialization

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  • van der Beek, Karine
  • Mokyr, Joel
  • Sarid, Assaf

Abstract

This paper examines the effect of the early adoption of technology on the evolution of human capital and industrialization, in the context of Britain’s Industrial Revolution. We demonstrate that millwrights, eighteenth century specialists in advanced carpentry and hydraulic machinery, evolved following the diffusion of watermills, and are recorded in the Domesday Book survey (1086). Our results suggest that their availability was a major factor in determining the persistence of English industrial location from the thirteenth century to the eve of the Industrial Revolution. Furthermore, in locations that adopted watermills in the Middle Ages, we show that the availability of physical infrastructure and of highly skilled wrights jointly determined the location of English industry from the end of the thirteenth century to the eve of the Industrial Revolution.

Suggested Citation

  • van der Beek, Karine & Mokyr, Joel & Sarid, Assaf, 2019. "The Wheels of Change: Technology Adoption, Millwrights, and Persistence in Britain’s Industrialization," CEPR Discussion Papers 14138, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:14138
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Human capital; Industrialization; Economic growth; Mechanical skills; Watermill; England;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O14 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Industrialization; Manufacturing and Service Industries; Choice of Technology
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
    • N00 - Economic History - - General - - - General
    • N13 - Economic History - - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics; Industrial Structure; Growth; Fluctuations - - - Europe: Pre-1913
    • N53 - Economic History - - Agriculture, Natural Resources, Environment and Extractive Industries - - - Europe: Pre-1913
    • N73 - Economic History - - Economic History: Transport, International and Domestic Trade, Energy, and Other Services - - - Europe: Pre-1913
    • N93 - Economic History - - Regional and Urban History - - - Europe: Pre-1913

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