Politics, Technological Change, and Economic Growth

Course Number: 84-314

Technological change has had an extraordinary impact on the story of humankind.   It has had a massive influence on the nature of our political systems.  It has been one of, maybe the, major determinant of economic growth and the way that wealth is distributed.

This class looks at this in the far past (100,000 BCE to 1600 ACE), the past (the Enlightenment and the subsequent industrial revolutions), the present day, and the future.  We will contemplate the future impact of AI on jobs, the nature of government, living standards, and equity.

Academic Year: 2025-2026
Semester(s): Fall
Units: 9
Location(s): Pittsburgh