Historians and Economists, at Odds

Historians and economists think differently. Historians tend to be self-effacing and tentative; economists are bold.

Let me illustrate this by a statement from  a historian introducing a more scientific way of looking at the Black Death:”The new microbiology . . .opens up entirely new questions, ones we did not previously know we needed to ask.”[1]

Notice:  . . . opens up entirely new questions . . . not answers.

The following statement is from two path-breaking economists. “This book explains that unique historical achievement, the rise of the Western World.”[2]

Notice: This book explains  . . .

Do you see the difference? One asks questions, one asserts. Continue reading “Historians and Economists, at Odds”