Data Availability: A Contrast Between Historical and Modern Economists
A key difference between modern economics and its earlier forms is the availability of large-scale data. As James Heckman points out, even foundational economists like Adam Smith developed profound ideas for 'The Wealth of Nations' without having access to a systematic body of data to test them. This contrasts with modern economists, who can leverage vast datasets to 'discriminate among alternative explanations' and empirically ground their theories.
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Economics
Introduction to Microeconomics Course
The Economy 2.0 Microeconomics @ CORE Econ
Ch.1 Prosperity, inequality, and planetary limits - The Economy 2.0 Microeconomics @ CORE Econ
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World Inequality Database (WID)
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