Martin Fiszbein

Martin Fiszbein’s research seeks to understand comparative paths of development in historical perspective, drawing on new empirical approaches and conceptual insights from growth theory, development economics, regional/urban economics, political economy, social psychology, and evolutionary approaches. Adopting a long-run perspective, my papers underscore how “initial conditions” shaping economies early in their history may influence subsequent development trajectories, aiming to carefully depict persistence and change over time.

His work can be divided into two major strands. One strand studies the historical roots and evolution of cultural traits and political attitudes that shape the process of development, including individualism, gender norms, racial animus, and civic norms. Another strand of research focuses on more proximate drivers of growth, including structural change, technological progress, and skill formation—and how these are shaped by geo-climatic and historical factors.