Stanley Lewis Engerman American economist and historian of economic thought. Date of Birth: 14.03.1936 Country: USA

Biography of Stanley Lewis Engerman

Stanley Lewis Engerman, born on March 14, 1936, is an American economist and historian of economic thought. He obtained his doctoral degree in economics in 1962 from Johns Hopkins University. Alongside Nobel laureate economist Robert Fogel, Engerman is well-known for his numerous economic works. His first significant book, "Time on the Cross: The Economics of American Negro Slavery," co-authored with Fogel, was published in 1962. This sensational and somewhat scandalous book, which argued that slavery on the cotton fields of the American South was profitable during a certain period, won the Bancroft Prize.

Engerman has held various prestigious positions throughout his career. He served as the President of the Economic History Association and the Social Science History Association. Currently, he is a professor of economics and history at the University of Rochester, where he teaches economic history and the economics of sports and entertainment. Additionally, Engerman is an invited professor at Harvard University's Economics Department, where he teaches the economics of sports and entertainment.

One of Engerman's most influential works, "Time on the Cross," was critically received with significant public resonance. Reminiscent of Charles Beard's economic analysis in "Constitution in its longevity," the book argued that prior to the widespread use of mechanized cotton harvesters in the 1950s, slavery on cotton fields was more profitable compared to what free industrial workers could offer. Charles Crowe summarized Engerman and Fogel's findings, stating that "cliometrics announced a scientific discovery. The South, led by confident and efficient slave entrepreneurship, consistently derived greater profits from a rapidly expanding high-income economy, with an efficiency ratio 35 percent higher than free agriculture in the North."

Engerman, together with Kenneth L. Sokoloff, co-authored an economic journal called "History Lessons: Institutions, Factor Endowments, and Paths of Development in the New World," which can be found in the pages of the "Journal of Economic Perspectives." Their in-depth research concluded that the economic trajectories of former colonies worldwide over the past 300 years are largely influenced by the characteristics of their natural environment. Soil quality, in particular, has been a focal point for economists. They argue that in regions like Cuba, where sugar cane and coffee trees are grown, soil quality led to plantation farming and slavery, which, in turn, resulted in a cautious approach to slave privileges, hindered development, and high tax rates.

In areas like the United States, where the land is suitable for wheat cultivation, soil quality led to the growth of small-scale farms and a relatively equal distribution of wealth. This, in turn, resulted in numerous incentives and increased access to public education. Sokoloff and Engerman conclude that regions emphasizing equality and providing access to public education, such as the United States, were able to develop faster than other economic regions, such as Cuba, where such opportunities were lacking.

Dr. Engerman has also published over 100 articles and is the author, co-author, or editor of 16 research books.