Growth in a Traditional Society

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Challenging the notion of stagnation in early modern European agriculture, the author presents a detailed historical analysis of peasant farming in ancien-régime France. By measuring long-term economic growth, he explores the interplay of political, institutional, and trade factors in agricultural development. Comparing France with England and Germany, Hoffman argues that obstacles to growth were rooted in political structures rather than cultural or property rights issues. His insights, grounded in microeconomics and game theory, provide a fresh perspective on peasant society and its economic dynamics.