The following article was originally written as a comment to the Google Hangout that featured Colin and Andy. I ended up writing more than I intended, so I thought I might as well post this as a full article.
The purpose of this article is to argue against the thesis that the discovery and subsequent colonization of the New World is what caused the Great Divergence, which ultimately led to the industrialization of Western Europe and the rise of the Modern World. In contrast to this theory, I would argue that the Great Divergence was already well underway during the high and late middle ages when Western European countries were experiencing a period of steady and sustained growth in technological and economic development.
The purpose of this article is to argue against the thesis that the discovery and subsequent colonization of the New World is what caused the Great Divergence, which ultimately led to the industrialization of Western Europe and the rise of the Modern World. In contrast to this theory, I would argue that the Great Divergence was already well underway during the high and late middle ages when Western European countries were experiencing a period of steady and sustained growth in technological and economic development.
