History as a laboratory to better understand the formation of institutions
Bas van Bavel
Abstract A main instrument for better understanding the formation of institutions, and explaining differences in their long-run development between periods societies, would be to use history as a laboratory, allowing us test hypotheses developed social sciences. This paper discusses study by Douglas Allen, The Institutional Revolution , that context, order identify some pitfalls current attempts economists historical analysis. Next, places his English case into comparative perspective, helped recent insights gained economic history, see how these can avoided. Based on this, I argue comparisons at regional, national global levels, multidimensional view which includes contextualization, combined with an open eye discontinuity patterns, avoid one-dimensional teleological approaches institutional change.
Journal of Institutional Economics