Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/272661 
Year of Publication: 
2023
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 16034
Publisher: 
Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
We provide quantitative evidence on the relationship between military spending and innovation in the 19th century. Combining innovation data from world fairs and historical military data across Europe, we show that national military spending is associated with national innovation towards war logistics such as food processing, but less towards war technology such as guns. This pattern reflects differences in the historical markets for war supplies. European patent data of 1990-2015 suggest a long-term correlation between historical and con- temporaneous innovation patterns.
Subjects: 
military spending
innovation
war logistics
food processing
military supply
19th century
JEL: 
H56
O31
O14
N43
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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