Backward Glance at Bourgeois Ascendance

In her narrative, McCloskey rounds off the British experience, focusing on events around 1700, before delving into how the Netherlands achieved a similar status first.

What catalyzed this transformation?

As McCloskey points out, she aims to elucidate “a remarkably significant change in real income per capita.” (p. 286) Minor adjustments in production methods alone cannot account for why the Great Enrichment began in England at that specific time.

The first video provides insights into the rise of the bourgeoisie and the middle class, shedding light on their evolution and societal impact.

A Shift in Economic Perception

McCloskey argues that something profound shifted: a newfound respect for economic endeavors among ordinary people. She draws parallels with recent developments in China, where prior to 1978, discussions were largely about class struggle, but post-1978, the focus shifted to economic prosperity—“Getting rich became glorious.” The sentiments expressed by the Chinese Communist Party post-1978 resonate with the values of empiricism, liberty, and dignity that gained traction in northwestern Europe after 1700. (p. 288)

She observes that in England, not only were the bourgeois rising, but also the gentry—a class of landowners positioned just below the aristocracy, often depicted in novels by Jane Austen. (p. 287)

Virtue in Wealth Accumulation

As late as 1741, philosopher David Hume speculated whether the newly affluent bourgeois would leverage their wealth for “privileges and honors.” (p. 290) However, McCloskey notes this did not materialize. Unlike their French counterparts from the ‘ancien régime’, the English bourgeois did not predominantly chase noble status. (p. 290)

Conclusion: Why Britain?

As she sets the stage for the subsequent part of her book, McCloskey highlights that British attention was drawn to Dutch success. She contends that part of the attitudinal shift favoring the merchant class stemmed from “the irritating success of the Dutch,” which was “startling to Europe.” (p. 290) Historian Paul Kennedy noted in 1976 that the evidence for widespread envy towards Dutch enterprise is compelling. Similarly, historian Matthew Kadne attributes the English transition towards bourgeois virtues to “various interactions with the Dutch.” (p. 291)

The next chapter transitions into Part 5 of McCloskey’s book, taking us back to the 1600s in Continental Europe, focusing on the Netherlands.

The second video discusses the Bourgeois Revolution from Marx's perspective, providing a deeper understanding of the socio-economic changes during that era.

Reference: McCloskey, Deirdre Nansen, 2016. “And the Change was Specifically British,” Chapter 31 of Bourgeois Equality, The University of Chicago Press.