Historical Case Studies

A historical exploration of how religious institutions mobilized populations for elite economic interests through the Crusades and beyond.

Exploring how religious institutions solve coordination problems for elite projects.

How the future of global prosperity depends on rewriting the rules to allow every nation a fair climb.

How stringent intellectual property regimes hinder technological catch-up for latecomer nations.

How South Korea’s state-led development defied neoliberal prescriptions and achieved rapid growth.

How 'good governance' institutions are often the result of development, not its prerequisite.

A critical examination of how developed nations 'kick away the ladder' of protectionism they used to climb to prosperity.

How developed nations demand free trade policies they never used themselves during their ascent to prosperity.

Examining how the formal dissolution of the British Empire left intact its underlying financial, legal, and cultural frameworks that continue to shape global power dynamics.

Analyzing how industrial technology and racialized ideologies enabled Britain to systematize and justify its global imperial dominance.