The effect of protestantism on education before the industrialization: evidence from 1816 Prussia

Arbeitspapier

This paper uses recently discovered data on nearly 300 Prussian counties in 1816 to show that Protestantism led to more schools and higher school enrolment already before the industrialization. This evidence supports the human capital theory of Protestant economic history of Becker and Woessmann (2009), where Protestantism first led to better education, which in turn facilitated industrial development. It rules out that the existing end-of-19th-century evidence can be explained by a Weberian explanation, where a Protestant work ethic first led to industrialization which then increased the demand for education.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: CESifo Working Paper ; No. 2910

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Analysis of Education ; Economic History: Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy: Europe: Pre-1913 ; Cultural Economics: Religion
• Subject: education ; Protestantism ; pre-industrialization

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Becker, Sascha O. ; Woessmann, Ludger
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Center for Economic Studies and ifo Institute (CESifo)
• (where): Munich
• (when): 2010

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/30429
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:44 AM CET