Econ Papers Daily / 期刊论文
水磨与工业化时期普鲁士的人力资本积累
Water mills and human capital accumulation in industrializing Prussia
摘要
Did Germany’s industrial rise begin with its water mills? This study examines how water mills shaped early industrial development in Prussia using historical county-level census data. I show that water-powered proto-industrialization fostered skilled artisanal human capital by the mid-nineteenth century. Unlike wind or animal-powered mills, water mills supported diverse industries, driving technological spillovers and early industrialization. Counties with more water mills saw faster population growth, though this effect declined with the adoption of coal and steam. These findings underscore water power’s role in Germany’s industrial rise, and suggest that water-driven industrialization was a broader European phenomenon, not unique to Britain.
中文摘要
德国的工业崛起是否始于其水力磨坊？本研究利用历史县级人口普查数据，探讨了水力磨坊如何塑造普鲁士早期工业发展。我证明，至十九世纪中叶，以水为动力的原始工业化促进了熟练手工业人力资本的形成。与风力或畜力磨坊不同，水力磨坊支撑了多样化的产业，推动了技术溢出与早期工业化。拥有更多水力磨坊的县经历了更快的人口增长，尽管这一效应随着煤炭和蒸汽的采用而减弱。这些发现强调了水力在德国工业崛起中的作用，并表明水驱动的工业化是更广泛的欧洲现象，并非英国独有。