Friday, January 22, 2010

Emily Oster, Witchcraft, Weather and Economic Growth in Renaissance Europe, Journal of Economic Perspectives, 2004

Rating: 4/5 Link
  • First published in Winter 2004.
  • Why witchcraft trials in renaissance Europe were practiced on a large-scale violence and scapegoating prompted by deterioration in economic conditions.
  • Details of data collected for trails and weather showing systematic evidence of a relation between witch trials, weather and economic growth. Within the renaissance cultural framework witches became targets for blame.