The Economic History Research Group uses economic approaches to investigate the past and historical expertise to analyze how economies work. Our research interests include – but are not limited to – business cycles, climate, consumption, the environment, fertility, financial markets, guilds, human capital, inequality, living standards, market integration, property rights, serfdom, technological innovation, trade, women’s work, and the economics of institutions and government. Our research spans more than 1,000 years, from the late tenth century to the early twenty-first. We maintain strong interdisciplinary links, which extend from economics into demography, geography, history, and political science.

Research Grants

• Economic Policy and Political Myopia (ESRC) - Aidt, T
• Voting Rights And Public Policy (ESRC) - Aidt, T. S.
• International dimension of political regime dynamics (ESRC) - Aidt, T. S.
• Riots And The Great Reform Act Of 1832 (BRITISH ACADEMY) - Aidt, T
• Democratic purges in post-World War II France: Was it all about separating the wheat from the chaff? (BRITISH ACADEMY) - Aidt, T
• Episodic Growth Since 1850 (ESRC) - Solomou, S.

Keynes Fund Sponsored Projects

• Political Representation, Market Failure and Public Policy: A Long-run Study of the United Kingdom (JHOA) - Aidt, T., Winer, S. L. and Zhang, P. Project Summary and Output
• Market Failures and State Successes in Public Health and Highways 1830-1912 (JHOM) - Aidt, T., Shaw-Taylor, L. and Davenport, R. Project Summary and Output
• Real Financial Linkages and Start-Stop Phases of Economic Growth (JHLG) - Solomou, S. Project Summary and Output
• Credit Cycles Since 1870 (JHOG) - Solomou, S. Project Summary and Output

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Published Papers

Lennard, J., Meinecke, F. and Solomou, S. Measuring Inflation Expectations in Interwar Britain, The Economic History Review (2022)
Solomou, S. and Thomas, R. Updated Estimates of UK GDP from the Income Side, 1841–1920, The Economic History Review (2022)
Aidt, T., Grey, F. and Savu, A. The Meaningful Votes: Voting on Brexit in the British House of Commons, Public Choice (2020)
Aidt, T.S., Chadha, J.S. and Sabourian, H. Breaking the Brexit impasse: Achieving a fair, legitimate and democratic outcome, National Institute Economic Review (2019)
Aidt, T. S. and Rauh, C. The Big Five personality traits and partisanship in England, Electoral Studies (2018)
Aidt, T.S., Lili, J. and Low, H. Are prices enough? The economics of material demand reduction, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A : Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences (2017)
Aidt, T. S. and Leon,G. J. The democratic window of opportunity: evidence from riots in sub-Saharan Africa, Journal of Conflict Resolution (2016)
Ristuccia, C. A. and Solomou, S. Can general purpose technology theory explain economic growth? Electrical power as a case study, European Review of Economic History (2014)
Edwards, J. S. and Ogilvie, S. C. Contract enforcement, institutions and social capital: The Maghribi traders reappraised, Economic History Review (2012)
Edwards, J. S. and Ogilvie, S. C. What lessons for economic development can we draw from the champagne fairs?, Explorations in Economic History (2012)
Aidt, T. S. and Shvets, J. Distributive politics and electoral incentives: evidence from seven US state legislatures, American Economic Journal: Economic Policy (2012)

Cambridge Working Papers in Economics

Janeway, W. H., Nanda, R. and Rhodes-Kropf, M. Venture Capital Booms and Startup Financing, CWPE2147 (2021)
Aidt, T., Winer, S., Zhang, P. Franchise extension and fiscal structure in the United Kingdom 1820-1913: A new test of the Redistribution Hypothesis, CWPE2008 (2020)
Aidt, T., Grey, F., Savu, A. The Three Meaningful Votes: Voting on Brexit in the British House of Commons, CWPE1979 (2019)
Aidt, T., Rauh, C. The Rise of the “No Party” in England, CWPE1977 (2019)
Lloyd, S. and Solomou, S. The Impact of the 1932 General Tariff: A Difference-in-Difference Approach, CWPE1940 (2019)
Aidt, T. S., Leon, G. and Satchell, M. The Social Dynamics of Collective Action: Evidence from the Captain Swing Riots, 1830-31, CWPE1751 (2017)
Beltràn Tapia, F., Díez-Minguela, A., Martínez-Galarraga, J. The Shadow of Cities: Size, Location and the Spatial Distribution of Population in Spain, CWPE1749 (2017)
Beltrán Tapia, F., Díez-Minguela, A. and Martinez-Galarraga, J. Tracing the Evolution of Agglomeration Economies: Spain, 1860-1991, CWPE1636 (2016)
Rocha, B. and Solomou, S. The Effects of Systemic Banking Crises in the Inter-War Period, CWPE1503 (2015)
Ristuccia, C. A. and Solomou, S. Can general purpose technology theory explain economic growth? Electrical Power as a case study, CWPE1404 (2014)

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Authored Books

Bateman, V. N. The Sex Factor: How Women Made the West Rich, (2019), Polity Press
Bateman, V. N. Markets and growth in early modern Europe, (2016), Routledge

Chapter in Book

Bateman, V. N. Milton Friedman, (2018), forthcoming in Great economic thinkers. Edited by Jonathan Conlin - Chicago University Press
Bateman, V. N. John Maynard Keynes, (2018), forthcoming in Great economic thinkers. Edited by Jonathan Conlin - Chicago University Press
Bateman, V. N. Price volatility and markets in late medieval and early modern Europe, (2014), forthcoming in A history of market performance: from ancient Babylonia to the modern world. Edited by Bert van der Spek, Bas van Leeuwen, Jan Luiten van Zanden - Routledge

Edited Books