Paul Bairoch

Bairoch gained a bachelor's degree by correspondence, intending to become an engineer but he turned to studying economic history in 1956 at the parisian [[Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes]]. He obtained his doctorate in 1963 at the [[Free University of Brussels (1834–1969)|Free University of Brussels]] where he worked from 1965 to 1995. He was economic adviser to the [[General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade]] (GATT) at Geneva from 1967 to 1969, professor at the [[Sir George Williams University]] (Concordia) in [[Montréal]] from 1969 to 1971 and on recommendation of [[Fernand Braudel]] became director of studies at the Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes from 1971 to 1972. In 1972 he was made professor of history at the [[University of Geneva]]. He retired in 1995. He was also visiting professor at [[Harvard]] and at the [[Collège de France]] (1983) and [[Doctor honoris causa]] at the [[ETH Zurich]]. From 1985, Bairoch directed a number of research projects on the world economy at a Centre for International Economic History in Geneva.<ref>[https://archive.today/20130116084230/http://biblio.unizh.ch/F/M3SNJSSQ956IA41FTAVGK4UU8F8HN1UD143PS53I4SPRL4P7R2-01078?func=full-set-set&set_number=005681&set_entry=000015&format=999]</ref>

Bairoch gained a bachelor's degree by correspondence, intending to become an engineer but he turned to studying economic history in 1956 at the parisian [[Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes]]. He obtained his doctorate in 1963 at the [[Free University of Brussels (1834–1969)|Free University of Brussels]] where he worked from 1965 to 1995. He was economic adviser to the [[General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade]] (GATT) at Geneva from 1967 to 1969, professor at the [[Sir George Williams University]] (Concordia) in [[Montréal]] from 1969 to 1971 and on recommendation of [[Fernand Braudel]] became director of studies at the Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes from 1971 to 1972. In 1972 he was made professor of history at the [[University of Geneva]]. He retired in 1995. He was also visiting professor at [[Harvard]] and at the [[Collège de France]] (1983) and [[Doctor honoris causa]] at the [[ETH Zurich]]. From 1985, Bairoch directed a number of research projects on the world economy at a Centre for International Economic History in Geneva.<ref>[https://archive.today/20130116084230/http://biblio.unizh.ch/F/M3SNJSSQ956IA41FTAVGK4UU8F8HN1UD143PS53I4SPRL4P7R2-01078?func=full-set-set&set_number=005681&set_entry=000015&format=999]</ref>

==Research==

==Views==

Paul Bairoch sought through quantitative, empirical research of historical trends to question and challenge many beliefs which are nowadays generally accepted in economics (see in particular his work ''Economics and World History: Myths and Paradoxes''), among which: the idea that [[free trade]] historically led to periods of economic growth; that moving away from free trade caused the [[Great Depression]]; and that colonial powers in the 19th and early 20th centuries became rich by exploiting the [[Third World]].

Paul Bairoch sought through quantitative, empirical research of historical trends to question and challenge many beliefs which are nowadays generally accepted in economics (see in particular his work ''Economics and World History: Myths and Paradoxes''), among which: the idea that [[free trade]] historically led to periods of economic growth; that moving away from free trade caused the [[Great Depression]]; and that colonial powers in the 19th and early 20th centuries became rich by exploiting the [[Third World]].

{{blockquote|There has been free trade in Turkey, and what has it produced? It has destroyed some of the finest manufactures of the world. As late as 1812 these manufactures existed; but they have been destroyed. That was the consequences of competition in Turkey, and its effects have been as pernicious as the effects of the contrary principle in Spain.}}

{{blockquote|There has been free trade in Turkey, and what has it produced? It has destroyed some of the finest manufactures of the world. As late as 1812 these manufactures existed; but they have been destroyed. That was the consequences of competition in Turkey, and its effects have been as pernicious as the effects of the contrary principle in Spain.}}

==Quotes==

==Criticism==

In his contribution to the Cambridge Economic History of Europe, Paul Bairoch argued that during the late 19th century, protectionist trade policies were positively associated with [[economic growth]] and trade expansion, while liberal trade policies coincided with stagnation. He summarized this position by stating that “protectionism [equaled] economic growth and expansion of trade; liberalism [equaled] stagnation in both.”<ref name="Irwin" />

This claim has been subject to criticism, particularly by economist [[Douglas Irwin]]. While Irwin acknowledged the existence of a [[correlation]] between tariffs and growth during this period, he cautioned against interpreting this as evidence of a [[causal relationship]]. He pointed out that several countries with high tariffs, such as Argentina and Canada, experienced rapid growth not because of protectionism, but due to capital inflows that fueled export-led growth in agricultural staples. Irwin further noted that many land-abundant, labor-scarce countries imposed high tariffs primarily to generate government revenue, rather than to protect domestic industries. As a result, the association between tariffs and growth may be confounded by structural factors, such as factor endowments and [[fiscal policy]], rather than trade strategy alone.<ref name="Irwin">{{cite journal |last=Irwin |first=Douglas A. |title=Interpreting the tariff–growth correlation of the late 19th century |journal=American Economic Review |volume=92 |issue=2 |pages=165–169 |year=2002 |url=https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w8739/w8739.pdf |jstor=3216811}}</ref>

{{Quotation|"L'occident n'a pas besoin du tiers monde, ce qui est une mauvaise nouvelle pour le tiers monde." ("The West doesn't need the third world, which is bad news for the third world.") – Paul Bairoch, ''Le tiers monde dans l'impasse'' (1992)}}

{{Quotation|"L'occident n'avait pas besoin du tiers monde, ce qui est une bonne nouvelle pour le tiers monde." ("The West didn't need the third world, which is good news for the third world.") – Paul Bairoch, ''Mythes et paradoxes de l'histoire économique''}}

Bairoch referred here to colonialism and to the exploitation of the third world in the 19th and early 20th century. He argued that this exploitation was not indispensable for industrialisation. This he thought is "good news" for the third world because it means that development could occur without exploitation of other regions.

{{Quotation|"S’il me fallait résumer ce que l’essence de l’histoire économique peut apporter à la science économique, je dirais qu’il n’existe pas de « lois » ou règles en économie qui soient valables pour toutes les périodes de l’histoire ou pour chacun des systèmes économiques." ("If I had to summarise the essence of what economic history can contribute to economic science, I would say that there exist no "laws" or rules in economics which are valid for all periods of history or for every economic system") – Paul Bairoch, ''Mythes et paradoxes de l'histoire économique'' (1993)}}

==Books and monographs==

==Books and monographs==