Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind · chapter 16 · id sapiens-c16-01-global-economic-output-was-rou

“Global economic output was roughly stagnant for most of history, then exploded after approximately 1500 CE, driven by capitalism and the Scientific Revolution.”

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Receipts

Bolt & van Zanden (2020), Maddison Project Database 2020source alive

Global GDP per capita (1990 intl GK$): 1 CE ~$467, 1000 CE ~$453, 1500 CE ~$566, 1820 CE ~$667, 1900 CE ~$1,261, 2000 CE ~$6,539. Confirms slow pre-1500 growth and post-industrial explosion.

Broadberry et al. (2015), British Economic Growth 1270-1870, Cambridge UPDOI registry: valid

Maddison underestimated pre-modern economic fluctuations. Medieval economies had significant boom-bust cycles that the 'stagnation then explosion' narrative flattens.

This claim is a stable, citable object. If you can falsify a verdict, tell us — corrections are loud here.