Jim Devine writes: >> When I was studying economic history in grad school, Fogel's work on >> railroads was the clearest case of bogus history, applying the >> "counterfactual" method where it didn't apply (i.e., history). >> Counterfactuals -- what if the railroads had never been built? what if >> the South had won the Civil War? what if Hitler had been >> toilet-trained in a different way? etc. -- are fun but their validity >> assume (1) a complete knowledge of the relevant past and (2) a >> completely accurate theory of how the economy, politics, etc. work. >> All economic history can do is to make a case for one theory compared >> to others.
Well then, how would you suggest we make logical arguments concerning whether or not railroad construction added to historical wealth creation? David Shemano _______________________________________________ pen-l mailing list [email protected] https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/pen-l
