This paper re-examines Blanchard and Quah's (1989) aggregate supply/demand model interpretation of output shocks using data from ten countries. Although postwar data support their interpretation, the model is not supported by nineteenth century data. In the postwar period, permanent output...

The Black Death killed 40% of Europe's population between 1347-1352, making it one of the largest shocks in the history of mankind. Despite its historical importance, little is known about its spatial effects and the effects of pandemics more generally. Using a novel dataset that provides...

We study whether cities with Jewish communities grew faster than cities without Jewish communities in Europe between 1400 and 1850. We match data on city populations from Bairoch (1988) with data on the presence of a Jewish community from the Encyclopedia Judaica. Our difference-in-differences...