Where did economics come from and how did it assume its current form? This is the fundamental question that this course seeks to investigate by integrating philosophy, politics, and economics through historical analysis. The course presents the development of economics from a branch of moral philosophy, into political economy, and finally into a quasi-scientific and quantitative discipline today. At every stage, the course places developments in the field into political and social context and presents alternative sets of ideas and paths not taken that were once prominent but have since been forgotten. This course is available to students in the PPE Program.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of classic texts in economics
2. Apply theoretical results to practical economic examples
3. Demonstrate an understanding of formal economic models

Research-Led Teaching

Understanding the deep-rooted factors behind contemporary differences in economic development, state capacity, institutions, and culture is essential to understanding the world today. This course surveys studies in comparative development, focusing on how geography, climate, human traits, and historical events have shaped present-day economic, political, institutional, and cultural outcomes.

This course does not study the ideas, doctrines, or arguments of individual economists, political theorists, or philosophers. It therefore does not cover specific thinkers such as Kant, J. S. Mill, or Marx. Instead, it examines the deeper historical foundations of the social, political, and economic world that those thinkers sought to interpret. The course focuses on how economic development, inequality, political institutions, culture, and states have been formed over the long run.

Students are expected to have basic knowledge of economics. Brief reviews of causal inference will be provided when needed to help students understand the academic papers covered in class.

By the end of the course, students will be familiar with (1) key contributions in comparative development, (2) understand how the studies introduced in class relate to one another, and (3) be able to assess what the literature has explained, what remains unresolved, and how future research can build on existing work.

Field Trips

N/A

Additional Course Costs

N/A

Examination Material or equipment

N/A

Required Resources

Lecture slides will be posted on Canvas.

Recommended Resources

These fields are relatively new, and no textbook currently exists. However, the following books and review papers provide valuable insights into the key concepts and findings in these areas.

1. Acemoglu, Daron, and James A. Robinson, Why nations fail: The origins of power, prosperity, and poverty. Crown Currency, 2013.
2. Diamond, Jared, Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Facts of Human Science, Norton, 1999.
3. Galor, Oded, The Journey of Humanity: A New History of Wealth and Inequality with Implications for Our Future. Penguin, 2023.
4. Koyama, Mark, and Jared Rubin. How the world became rich: The historical origins of economic growth. John Wiley & Sons, 2022.
5. Charnysh, V., Finkel, E. and Gehlbach, S., 2023. Historical political economy: Past, present, and future. Annual Review of Political Science, 26(1), pp.175-191.
6. Turchin, Peter. The Great Holocene Transformation: What Complexity Science Tells Us about the Evolution of Complex Societies. Beresta Books LLC, 2025.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• written comments
• verbal comments
• feedback to whole class, groups, individuals, focus group etc

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). Feedback can also be provided to Course Conveners and teachers via the Student Experience of Learning & Teaching (SELT) feedback program. SELT surveys are confidential and also provide the Colleges and ANU Executive with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Course OverviewIntroduction to Comparative DevelopmentCausal Inference I
2	Trust in Government (Besley, Dann, and Dray, 2025, QJE)Causal Inference II	Tutorials start
3	Origins of the State (Mayshar, Moav, and Pascali, 2022, JPE)Institutions and Economic Growth I (Acemoglu, Johnson, and Robinson, 2001, AER)
4	Institutions and Economic Growth I (Acemoglu, Johnson, and Robinson, 2001, AER)Institutions and Economic Growth II (Acemoglu, Johnson, and Robinson, 2002, AER)
5	Causal Inference IIINation Building (Blanc and Kubo, 2026)
6	Revisiting Max Weber from an Economic Perspective (Becker and Woessmann, 2009, QJE)African (Under) development: Slave Trade (Nunn, 2008, QJE)
7	African (Under) development: Slave Trade (Nunn, 2008, QJE)African (Under) development: Pre-Colonial Institutions (Michalopoulos and Papaioannou, 2013, ECMA)
8	Conflict: Climatic Origins (McGuirk and Nunn, 2025, REStud)Conflict: Origins in Diversity (Arbatli, Ashraf, Galor, and Klemp, 2020, ECMA)
9	Conflict: Origins in Diversity (Arbatli, Ashraf, Galor, and Klemp, 2020, ECMA)Origins of Culture: Gender Norm (Alesina, Giuliano, and Nunn, 2013, QJE)
10	Origins of Culture: Individualism (Bazzi, Fiszbein, and Gebresilasse, 2020, ECMA)Origins of Culture: Persistence (Giuliano and Nunn, 2021, REStud)
11	Origins of Culture: Persistence (Giuliano and Nunn, 2021, REStud)
12	One to three additional papers may be covered depending on the pace of the course.
13	Examination Period	Final Exam

Tutorial Registration

ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Return of assessment	Learning Outcomes
Assignment 1 (10%)	10 %	18/08/2026	30/08/2026	1, 2, 3
Assignment 2 (10%)	10 %	08/09/2026	22/09/2026	1, 2, 3
Assignment 3 (10%)	10 %	13/10/2026	27/10/2026	1, 2, 3
Assignment 4 (10%)	10 %	27/10/2026	04/11/2026	1, 2, 3
Final Exam (60%)	60 %	05/11/2026	09/12/2026	1, 2, 3

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines , which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Integrity Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Extenuating Circumstances Application
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure
• Code of practice for teaching and learning

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the Academic Skills website. In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Wattle’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Participation

Class Participation

Students are expected to review lecture slides before and after each class. Active participation is highly encouraged, including asking questions about the lecture content and engaging in class discussions. Attendance will not be taken in each class.

Tutorials (In-Person)

Starting in Week 2, there will be in-person tutorial sessions. Students are strongly encouraged to attend the specific tutorial section they are enrolled in, as these sessions are designed to reinforce lecture material and provide opportunities for deeper engagement.

Examination(s)

The final exam (in-person, up to 180 minutes each) is mandatory. The exact dates will be announced by the University.

Assessment Task 1

Assignment 1 (10%)

Assignment 1 will consist of multiple-choice questions and short essays, and is designed to be completed in 45 minutes. It will be administered via Canvas and will cover material from week 1 to 3.

Purpose:

• To motivate students
• To cultivate the habit of active reading and comprehension
• To provide a check on students' understanding of fundamental concepts, along with constructive feedback

Assignment 1 is designed to assess your understanding of the academic papers covered in class. Specifically, it will test your grasp of main findings, basic definitions, conceptual frameworks, limitations, and the relationships between the papers.

Marking Rubric:

Each quiz will have clearly defined correct answers, leaving no room for subjective interpretation. The points allocated for each question are fixed and non-negotiable. Approximately 70-80% of the questions will assess basic knowledge, definitions, and core concepts.

Feedback and Performance:

You will receive feedback on your performance by the due date specified in the Assessment Task section.

Assessment Task 2

Assignment 2 (10%)

Assignment 2 will consist of multiple-choice questions and short essays, and is designed to be completed in 45 minutes or less. It will be administered via Canvas and will cover material from week 4 to 6.

Purpose:

• To motivate students
• To cultivate the habit of active reading and comprehension
• To provide a check on students' understanding of fundamental concepts, along with constructive feedback

Assignment 1 is designed to assess your understanding of the academic papers covered in class. Specifically, it will test your grasp of main findings, basic definitions, conceptual frameworks, limitations, and the relationships between the papers.

Marking Rubric:

Each quiz will have clearly defined correct answers, leaving no room for subjective interpretation. The points allocated for each question are fixed and non-negotiable. Approximately 70-80% of the questions will assess basic knowledge, definitions, and core concepts.

Feedback and Performance:

You will receive feedback on your performance by the due date specified in the Assessment Task section.

Assessment Task 3

Assignment 3 (10%)

Assignment 3 will consist of multiple-choice questions and short essays, and is designed to be completed in 45 minutes or less. It will be administered via Canvas and will cover material from week 7 to 9.

Purpose:

• To motivate students
• To cultivate the habit of active reading and comprehension
• To provide a check on students' understanding of fundamental concepts, along with constructive feedback

Assignment 2 is designed to assess your understanding of the academic papers covered in class. Specifically, it will test your grasp of main findings, basic definitions, conceptual frameworks, limitations, and the relationships between the papers.

Marking Rubric:

Each quiz will have clearly defined correct answers, leaving no room for subjective interpretation. The points allocated for each question are fixed and non-negotiable. Approximately 70-80% of the questions will assess basic knowledge, definitions, and core concepts.

Feedback and Performance:

You will receive feedback on your performance by the due date specified in the Assessment Task section.

Assessment Task 4

Assignment 4 (10%)

Assignment 4 will consist of multiple-choice questions and short essays, and is designed to be completed in 45 minutes or less. It will be administered via Canvas and will cover material from week 10 to 11.

Purpose:

• To motivate students
• To cultivate the habit of active reading and comprehension
• To provide a check on students' understanding of fundamental concepts, along with constructive feedback

Assignment 2 is designed to assess your understanding of the academic papers covered in class. Specifically, it will test your grasp of main findings, basic definitions, conceptual frameworks, limitations, and the relationships between the papers.

Marking Rubric:

Each quiz will have clearly defined correct answers, leaving no room for subjective interpretation. The points allocated for each question are fixed and non-negotiable. Approximately 70-80% of the questions will assess basic knowledge, definitions, and core concepts.

Feedback and Performance:

You will receive feedback on your performance by the due date specified in the Assessment Task section.

Assessment Task 5

Final Exam (60%)

The exact date and time of the final exam will be announced by the university and will be administered as an in-person, invigilated exam by ANU Examinations. The final exam will be comprehensive, covering all content taught during the course. Its format will be similar to Assignment 1-4.

Purpose.

• To motivate students
• To cultivate the habit of active reading and comprehension
• To provide a check on students' understanding of fundamental concepts, along with constructive feedback

Final Exam will be designed to assess your understanding of the academic papers covered in class. Specifically, it will test your grasp of main findings, basic definitions, conceptual frameworks, limitations, and the relationships between the papers.

Marking rubric.

Each quiz will have clearly defined correct answers, leaving no room for subjective interpretation. The points allocated for each question are fixed and non-negotiable. Approximately 70-80% of the questions will assess basic knowledge, definitions, and core concepts.

Feedback and performance.

There will be no feedback provided for a final examination piece. This task is for you, the student, to demonstrate your mastery of the course material.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. The University’s students are an integral part of that community. The academic integrity principle commits all students to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support, academic integrity, and to uphold this commitment by behaving honestly, responsibly and ethically, and with respect and fairness, in scholarly practice.

The University expects all staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle, the Academic Integrity Rule 2021, the Policy: Student Academic Integrity and Procedure: Student Academic Integrity, and to uphold high standards of academic integrity to ensure the quality and value of our qualifications.

The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 is a legal document that the University uses to promote academic integrity, and manage breaches of the academic integrity principle. The Policy and Procedure support the Rule by outlining overarching principles, responsibilities and processes. The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 commences on 1 December 2021 and applies to courses commencing on or after that date, as well as to research conduct occurring on or after that date. Prior to this, the Academic Misconduct Rule 2015 applies.

 

The University commits to assisting all students to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. All coursework students must complete the online Academic Integrity Module (Epigeum), and Higher Degree Research (HDR) students are required to complete research integrity training. The Academic Integrity website provides information about services available to assist students with their assignments, examinations and other learning activities, as well as understanding and upholding academic integrity.

Online Submission

You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education) submission must be through Turnitin.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Individual assessment tasks may or may not allow for late submission. Policy regarding late submission is detailed below:

• Late submission not permitted. If submission of assessment tasks without an extension after the due date is not permitted, a mark of 0 will be awarded.
• Late submission permitted. Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.

Referencing Requirements

The Academic Skills website has information to assist you with your writing and assessments. The website includes information about Academic Integrity including referencing requirements for different disciplines. There is also information on Plagiarism and different ways to use source material. Any use of artificial intelligence must be properly referenced. Failure to properly cite use of Generative AI will be considered a breach of academic integrity.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Accessibility for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents all ANU students