Replication dataset and codes - Schaff "Warfare and Economic Inequality: Evidence from Preindustrial Germany (c. 1400-1800)"

The deposited data allows replication of the statistical analysis and figures in "Warfare and Economic Inequality: Evidence from Preindustrial Germany (c. 1400-1800)". The question the project adresses is simple: What was the impact of military conflict on economic inequality? I argue that ordinary military conflicts increased local economic inequality. Warfare raised the financial needs of towns in preindustrial times, leading to more resource extraction from the population. This resource extraction happened via inequality-promoting channels, such as regressive taxation. Only in truly major wars might inequality-reducing destruction outweigh inequality-promoting extraction and reduce inequality. To test this argument I construct a novel panel dataset combining information about economic inequality in 75 localities, and more than 700 conflicts over four centuries. I find that the many ordinary conflicts — paradigmatic of life in the preindustrial world — were continuous reinforcers of economic inequality. I confirm that the Thirty Years’ War was indeed a great equaliser, but this was an exception and not the rule. Rising inequality is an underappreciated negative externality in times of conflict.

Universe:  Cities and villages in preindustrial Germany.

Data Type(s):   administrative records data

Collection Notes:    The main wealth inequality data analysed in the project has been collected from historical sources, for example archival sources, but also from edited primary and secondary sources.

The following publications cite the data in this project.

• “Warfare and Economic Inequality: Evidence from Preindustrial Germany (c. 1400-1800).” Explorations in Economic History, n.d.