Economic growth transformed the world. It freed us from a world where nearly everyone was mired in poverty and half of all children died before reaching adulthood. However, these benefits have not been felt everywhere, nor by everyone. In this groundbreaking new account of the divergence between east and west, Philip T. Hoffman uncovers the ultimate causes of economic growth and the reasons why it originated in seventeenth-century western Europe. He examines the relative impacts of a wide range of economic, political, and social factors, from high wages, cheap capital, and financial institutions to political fragmentation, porous borders, and interstate warfare. Through accessible economic principles and fascinating case studies, he demonstrates why growth began in Britain, why it spread so unevenly elsewhere, and why inequality inhibits growth.

‘Why Europe? succeeds in the miracle of combining great breadth and major depth of analysis in a short volume. The test of time for any book lies in whether the questions it raises are intellectually exciting. The questions raised and addressed in Phil Hoffman's latest book will keep everyone awake at night wanting to learn more.’

Maristella Botticini - author of The Chosen Few: How Education Shaped Jewish History, 70—1492

‘Hoffman’s question ‘Why Europe’ is one of those historical questions that once you start thinking about them, it is hard to think of anything else. This volume, as eloquent as it is thoughtful and erudite, provides persuasive and informed answers. It is mandatory reading for anyone who has ever wondered why our world looks the way it does.’

Joel Mokyr - author of A Culture of Growth: Origins of the Modern Economy