The West Lied! China Was On Par With Europe Before 1800 | UChicago Prof Kenneth Pomeranz:

Did the West really leap ahead of the rest of the world—or did it just get lucky?In this explosive conversation, historian Kenneth Pomeranz challenges everything you thought you knew about global history. Drawing from his groundbreaking book The Great Divergence, Pomeranz argues that China and Europe were economically comparable well into the 18th century. So why did the West industrialize while China stagnated?We uncover:The myth of European exceptionalismWhy coal and the colonies tipped the balance in Europe’s favorHow key Chinese regions rivaled England in markets, life expectancy, and consumptionThe overlooked role of geography, empire, and ecological limits in shaping global inequalityThis is a critical conversation for anyone interested in decolonizing history, understanding China’s past, and reassessing the roots of Western power.#KennethPomeranz #GreatDivergence #ChinaVsEurope #EconomicHistory #Colonialism #WesternMyths #WorldHistory #IndustrialRevolution #GlobalInequality