oa De Tweede Wereldoorlog: een breuk in de economische ontwikkeling in de wereld?

The Second World War was the greatest man-made disaster in history. The war destroyed countless human lives and left indelible marks on modern memory. This essay examines the impact of this catastrophic event on economic development. Using a wide array of recent studies in economic history and the history of technology, the author argues that, contrary to what intuition would suggest, the impact was in reality rather limited. A review of data on exports of commodities and capital, technological development, productivity, consumption patterns, and institutional change shows that the only lasting economic effect of the war was its influence on institutions.