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This discussion thread covers the third of four online discussion assignments in our class, covering Jared Rubin's book "Rulers, Religion and Riches." After you read the book, and watch the presentation videos, you are expected to post an original comment addressing one of the prompts below and (2) comment on one other student's existing post on the topic. In doing so, you can pick elaborating on one of the following questions: 1) According to Rubin, how do rulers sustain their rule and where do they derive their political legitimacy from? Why does it matter for economic development what the source of their legitimacy is? 2) Based on the main argument in the book, why did the printing press get adopted in Protestant European areas and how was The Reformation sustained and succeeded? 3) Again, based on the key claims in the book, why did The Ottoman Empire adopt the printing press so late? How did that affect political rule and Ottoman economic progress? 4) Pick one country case of success (Britain or the Dutch Republic) and compare it with one case of failure (Spain or the Ottomans). Walk through the book's argument using both cases and evaluate how each country was economically and politically affected in that light.

Paper For Above instruction

The questions derived from Jared Rubin’s book "Rulers, Religion, and Riches" explore the intricate relationship between political authority, religious reform, technological innovation, and economic development across different historical contexts. These prompts encourage an analytical understanding of how ruling elites maintain legitimacy, the transformative role of the printing press, and the divergent paths of economic progress in various empire or nation-states.

Rubin postulates that rulers sustain their authority through a combination of political legitimacy sources, such as divine right, tradition, or societal consensus. The method by which rulers derive legitimacy significantly impacts economic development. When rulers maintain legitimacy through religious authority or divine sanction, their policies often affirm existing social hierarchies, potentially stifling economic innovation. Conversely, when legitimacy derives from secular or rational sources, rulers may foster environments conducive to economic growth by encouraging innovation and reform.

Focusing on the adoption of the printing press, Rubin demonstrates that Protestant European regions embraced this technology earlier than Catholic regions, primarily because of religious and ideological incentives stemming from the Reformation. The Reformation itself gained momentum in these regions partly due to printing, which facilitated the dissemination of reformist ideas rapidly and widely, undermining the Catholic Church’s control and enabling religious and political decentralization. This decentralization contributed to economic liberalization in Protestant territories, correlating with greater economic growth.

In contrast, the Ottoman Empire’s late adoption of the printing press—delayed by religious authorities and political conservatism—hampered its ability to modernize and adapt to new ideas. The conservative stance on printing technology limited the dissemination of scientific and political knowledge, which might have contributed to stagnation or delayed modernization efforts, thereby affecting the Empire’s political stability and economic progress adversely.

When comparing success and failure cases, the UK’s early adoption of political and economic reforms, including the moderate embrace of printing technology during the British Industrial Revolution, fostered innovation, stability, and economic growth. The Dutch Republic’s prosperity was similarly rooted in early adoption of commercial and technological advancements, supported by relatively tolerant political and religious institutions. Conversely, Spain and the Ottoman Empire's delayed or limited adoption of similar reforms and technologies, coupled with centralized political structures and religious conservatism, contributed to economic stagnation and decline compared to their more dynamic counterparts.

In conclusion, Rubin’s argument underscores that the legitimacy source of rulers, combined with their openness to technological and intellectual innovations like the printing press, critically influences economic development. Societies that adopt a flexible approach toward reform and decentralization tend to foster more durable economic progress, whereas rigid, conservative approaches may impede growth and modernization.

References

• Rubin, Jared. (2017). Rulers, Religion, and Riches: Why the West Got Rich and the Middle East Did Not. Cambridge University Press.
• Brewer, John. (2017). The Reformation. Routledge.
• North, Douglass C. (1990). Institutions, Institutional Change and Economic Performance. Cambridge University Press.
• Gordon, Robert J. (2016). The Rise and Fall of American Growth: The U.S. Standard of Living since the Civil War. Princeton University Press.
• Hobsbawm, Eric. (1994). The Age of Revolution: 1789–1848. Vintage.
• Mokyr, Joel. (2016). Culture of Growth: The Origins of the Modern Economy. Princeton University Press.
• Levi, Margaret. (1997). A Model, a Method, and a Map: Rational Choice in Comparative and Historical Analysis. Harvard University Press.
• Poundstone, William. (2010). Prisoner’s Dilemma. Anchor Books.
• Chang, Ha-Joon. (2002). Kicking Away the Ladder: Development Strategy in Historical Perspective. Anthem Press.
• Acemoglu, Daron, & Robinson, James A. (2012). Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty. Crown Publishing Group.