Oliver Haythorne
@josephrohrbach.bsky.social
DPhil Economic & Social History @ New College, Oxford;
economics, political economy, Holy Roman history, mathematical ecology, other things that interest me
economics, political economy, Holy Roman history, mathematical ecology, other things that interest me
Thank you! This is cool stuff.
May 21, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Thank you! This is cool stuff.
How Does Culture Impact Economic Growth?
bsky.app/profile/jose...
bsky.app/profile/jose...
THREAD: How Does Culture Impact Economic Growth?
Economists are not famous for their discussions of culture and religion. However, increasingly they have come to recognize that culture might play a role in influencing long-term economic growth.
China might provide an interesting case study.
1/
Economists are not famous for their discussions of culture and religion. However, increasingly they have come to recognize that culture might play a role in influencing long-term economic growth.
China might provide an interesting case study.
1/
February 22, 2025 at 2:35 PM
How Does Culture Impact Economic Growth?
bsky.app/profile/jose...
bsky.app/profile/jose...
As ever, a link to the paper:
Classicism and Modern Growth: The Shadow of the Sages:
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
10/10
Classicism and Modern Growth: The Shadow of the Sages:
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
10/10
Classicism and Modern Growth: The Shadow of the Sages | The Journal of Economic History | Cambridge Core
Classicism and Modern Growth: The Shadow of the Sages - Volume 84 Issue 2
www.cambridge.org
February 22, 2025 at 2:34 PM
As ever, a link to the paper:
Classicism and Modern Growth: The Shadow of the Sages:
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
10/10
Classicism and Modern Growth: The Shadow of the Sages:
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
10/10
Summing up:
1) Culture matters economically
2) In Qing China, higher densities of sage temples were associated with lower rates of firm foundations in the 19th and 20th centuries
3) This holds when using sage birthplaces instead
4) This might be persistently impactful on cultural dynamism
9/
1) Culture matters economically
2) In Qing China, higher densities of sage temples were associated with lower rates of firm foundations in the 19th and 20th centuries
3) This holds when using sage birthplaces instead
4) This might be persistently impactful on cultural dynamism
9/
February 22, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Summing up:
1) Culture matters economically
2) In Qing China, higher densities of sage temples were associated with lower rates of firm foundations in the 19th and 20th centuries
3) This holds when using sage birthplaces instead
4) This might be persistently impactful on cultural dynamism
9/
1) Culture matters economically
2) In Qing China, higher densities of sage temples were associated with lower rates of firm foundations in the 19th and 20th centuries
3) This holds when using sage birthplaces instead
4) This might be persistently impactful on cultural dynamism
9/
I'm not sure about that last set of results. I think it's more likely that the low rates of intellectual dynamism in areas that also had low rates of firm foundation had more to do with poverty and a lack of employment than culture by that point.
Some of his controls are also questionable.
8/
Some of his controls are also questionable.
8/
February 22, 2025 at 2:34 PM
I'm not sure about that last set of results. I think it's more likely that the low rates of intellectual dynamism in areas that also had low rates of firm foundation had more to do with poverty and a lack of employment than culture by that point.
Some of his controls are also questionable.
8/
Some of his controls are also questionable.
8/
Ma argues that this association between traditionalism and low economic growth continues to hold today.
He finds that sage temples and birthplaces are also associated with low rates of journal publications and intellectual activity in modern history, perhaps showing cultural backwardness.
7/
He finds that sage temples and birthplaces are also associated with low rates of journal publications and intellectual activity in modern history, perhaps showing cultural backwardness.
7/
February 22, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Ma argues that this association between traditionalism and low economic growth continues to hold today.
He finds that sage temples and birthplaces are also associated with low rates of journal publications and intellectual activity in modern history, perhaps showing cultural backwardness.
7/
He finds that sage temples and birthplaces are also associated with low rates of journal publications and intellectual activity in modern history, perhaps showing cultural backwardness.
7/
However, it's possible that there's reverse causation.
As such, Ma looked at the link between firm foundations and the birthplaces of the sages, centuries or millennia earlier. That should be unrelated with characteristics of the area later when the shrines were built. The association holds.
6/
As such, Ma looked at the link between firm foundations and the birthplaces of the sages, centuries or millennia earlier. That should be unrelated with characteristics of the area later when the shrines were built. The association holds.
6/
February 22, 2025 at 2:32 PM
However, it's possible that there's reverse causation.
As such, Ma looked at the link between firm foundations and the birthplaces of the sages, centuries or millennia earlier. That should be unrelated with characteristics of the area later when the shrines were built. The association holds.
6/
As such, Ma looked at the link between firm foundations and the birthplaces of the sages, centuries or millennia earlier. That should be unrelated with characteristics of the area later when the shrines were built. The association holds.
6/
He found initially that there was a negative association between the density of sage temples in an area and the rate of business foundations later in the 19th and 20th centuries.
This might show that areas which worshipped ancient wisdom were less likely to take up on modern economic ideas.
5/
This might show that areas which worshipped ancient wisdom were less likely to take up on modern economic ideas.
5/
February 22, 2025 at 2:31 PM
He found initially that there was a negative association between the density of sage temples in an area and the rate of business foundations later in the 19th and 20th centuries.
This might show that areas which worshipped ancient wisdom were less likely to take up on modern economic ideas.
5/
This might show that areas which worshipped ancient wisdom were less likely to take up on modern economic ideas.
5/
He put together a pretty detailed dataset of all the "sage temples" across China in the Qing period, plus a few other types of temples and some important socioeconomic correlates. This work alone is very valuable! It also allows him to track differences across space in China over a long period.
4/
4/
February 22, 2025 at 2:29 PM
He put together a pretty detailed dataset of all the "sage temples" across China in the Qing period, plus a few other types of temples and some important socioeconomic correlates. This work alone is very valuable! It also allows him to track differences across space in China over a long period.
4/
4/
Ma Chicheng set out to investigate this in a recent paper in the Journal of Economic History.
He suggested that we might be able to use temples to the "sages", the founts of ancient knowledge, as proxies for more traditional forms of culture in Qing Chinese history.
3/
He suggested that we might be able to use temples to the "sages", the founts of ancient knowledge, as proxies for more traditional forms of culture in Qing Chinese history.
3/
February 22, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Ma Chicheng set out to investigate this in a recent paper in the Journal of Economic History.
He suggested that we might be able to use temples to the "sages", the founts of ancient knowledge, as proxies for more traditional forms of culture in Qing Chinese history.
3/
He suggested that we might be able to use temples to the "sages", the founts of ancient knowledge, as proxies for more traditional forms of culture in Qing Chinese history.
3/
Economists are extremely interested in the question of culture for a few reasons.
It might help explain some puzzling discrepancies in growth rates between areas that are similar in all other observable respects.
It's also important for how economists theorize growth and change generally.
2/
It might help explain some puzzling discrepancies in growth rates between areas that are similar in all other observable respects.
It's also important for how economists theorize growth and change generally.
2/
February 22, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Economists are extremely interested in the question of culture for a few reasons.
It might help explain some puzzling discrepancies in growth rates between areas that are similar in all other observable respects.
It's also important for how economists theorize growth and change generally.
2/
It might help explain some puzzling discrepancies in growth rates between areas that are similar in all other observable respects.
It's also important for how economists theorize growth and change generally.
2/
What Do Cross-Gender Social Networks Look Like Across the World?
bsky.app/profile/jose...
bsky.app/profile/jose...
THREAD: What Do Cross-Gender Social Networks Look Like Across the World?
Gender often defines or colours our social networks and interactions. We might be more or less likely to make friends with someone because of their gender.
How does this look on the global scale, and how do we measure it?
1/
Gender often defines or colours our social networks and interactions. We might be more or less likely to make friends with someone because of their gender.
How does this look on the global scale, and how do we measure it?
1/
February 17, 2025 at 3:00 PM
What Do Cross-Gender Social Networks Look Like Across the World?
bsky.app/profile/jose...
bsky.app/profile/jose...
A link to this exciting new paper:
Cross-Gender Social Ties Around the World:
www.nber.org/papers/w33480
9/9
Cross-Gender Social Ties Around the World:
www.nber.org/papers/w33480
9/9
February 17, 2025 at 3:00 PM
A link to this exciting new paper:
Cross-Gender Social Ties Around the World:
www.nber.org/papers/w33480
9/9
Cross-Gender Social Ties Around the World:
www.nber.org/papers/w33480
9/9
To sum up:
1) Facebook friending data can be used to construct the Cross-Gender Friending Ratio
2) The CGFR varies across regions of the world
3) It correlates strongly with feminist attitudes and female labour force participation
4) In the US, it is somewhat demographically polarized
8/
1) Facebook friending data can be used to construct the Cross-Gender Friending Ratio
2) The CGFR varies across regions of the world
3) It correlates strongly with feminist attitudes and female labour force participation
4) In the US, it is somewhat demographically polarized
8/
February 17, 2025 at 2:59 PM
To sum up:
1) Facebook friending data can be used to construct the Cross-Gender Friending Ratio
2) The CGFR varies across regions of the world
3) It correlates strongly with feminist attitudes and female labour force participation
4) In the US, it is somewhat demographically polarized
8/
1) Facebook friending data can be used to construct the Cross-Gender Friending Ratio
2) The CGFR varies across regions of the world
3) It correlates strongly with feminist attitudes and female labour force participation
4) In the US, it is somewhat demographically polarized
8/
This is a very exciting new measure, and I'm sure it'll be used for lots of great research. The authors' regression results are preliminary, as they admit.
It's worth saying there may be selection biases: in very poor areas, only wealthier or better-educated people may have Facebook access.
7/
It's worth saying there may be selection biases: in very poor areas, only wealthier or better-educated people may have Facebook access.
7/
February 17, 2025 at 2:59 PM
This is a very exciting new measure, and I'm sure it'll be used for lots of great research. The authors' regression results are preliminary, as they admit.
It's worth saying there may be selection biases: in very poor areas, only wealthier or better-educated people may have Facebook access.
7/
It's worth saying there may be selection biases: in very poor areas, only wealthier or better-educated people may have Facebook access.
7/
Looking more specifically at the US, there are some interesting socioeconomic and demographic correlations.
For example, it comes out that white people and rich people tend to have lower Cross-Gender Friending Ratios than poor, black, or Hispanic people. Religion's role is a bit more ambiguous.
6/
For example, it comes out that white people and rich people tend to have lower Cross-Gender Friending Ratios than poor, black, or Hispanic people. Religion's role is a bit more ambiguous.
6/
February 17, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Looking more specifically at the US, there are some interesting socioeconomic and demographic correlations.
For example, it comes out that white people and rich people tend to have lower Cross-Gender Friending Ratios than poor, black, or Hispanic people. Religion's role is a bit more ambiguous.
6/
For example, it comes out that white people and rich people tend to have lower Cross-Gender Friending Ratios than poor, black, or Hispanic people. Religion's role is a bit more ambiguous.
6/
The authors also did a few correlational analyses. These aren't super rigorous, but they're indicative.
For instance, having a higher Cross-Gender Friending Ratio usually means a country is more accepting of basic feminist ideas, and is likely to have higher female labour force participation.
5/
For instance, having a higher Cross-Gender Friending Ratio usually means a country is more accepting of basic feminist ideas, and is likely to have higher female labour force participation.
5/
February 17, 2025 at 2:58 PM
The authors also did a few correlational analyses. These aren't super rigorous, but they're indicative.
For instance, having a higher Cross-Gender Friending Ratio usually means a country is more accepting of basic feminist ideas, and is likely to have higher female labour force participation.
5/
For instance, having a higher Cross-Gender Friending Ratio usually means a country is more accepting of basic feminist ideas, and is likely to have higher female labour force participation.
5/
Looking broadly across the globe, interesting patterns appear.
Rates are lowest in traditionally Muslim areas like the Middle East and north Africa, and highest in Latin America and parts of Sub-Saharan Africa. Interestingly, Europe and the US are somewhere in the middle - perhaps surprisingly!
4/
Rates are lowest in traditionally Muslim areas like the Middle East and north Africa, and highest in Latin America and parts of Sub-Saharan Africa. Interestingly, Europe and the US are somewhere in the middle - perhaps surprisingly!
4/
February 17, 2025 at 2:57 PM
Looking broadly across the globe, interesting patterns appear.
Rates are lowest in traditionally Muslim areas like the Middle East and north Africa, and highest in Latin America and parts of Sub-Saharan Africa. Interestingly, Europe and the US are somewhere in the middle - perhaps surprisingly!
4/
Rates are lowest in traditionally Muslim areas like the Middle East and north Africa, and highest in Latin America and parts of Sub-Saharan Africa. Interestingly, Europe and the US are somewhere in the middle - perhaps surprisingly!
4/