In 'Money', David McWilliams explores ‘humanity’s greatest invention’. Yet this 'story of humanity' is a decidedly European one, I find. My review of 'Money', out today:

My research unit at Stellenbosch is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year. In today's post, I reflected, using two new studies, on the progress we've made in promoting the study of African economic history.

The ICC Test Championship final was a game for the ages. Sometimes, by simply turning up again and again, the impossible becomes possible.

@johanfourieza.bsky.social closes out our second session as he explores new incentives for enslaved runaways in South Africa in the 1830s. #econsky #econhistory

And we have a winner of the inaugural Our Long Walk Essay Competition! It was this graph that got me hooked on the winning essay...

If I had to build a new university, this is what it would look like:

One Washington Post reader thinks my blog is worth reading!

@tylercowen.bsky.social says university students know, on average, more about LLMs than do their professors. I agree, but it will take a monumental effort for slow university systems to adapt to the AI revolution. Here I propose three steps to start:

Adam Smith’s division of labour applies as much to universities as it does to factories. My first of a three-part series on the future of the university ($).

Fantastic news!

@katemossewriter.bsky.social Kate Mosse's Joubert Family Chronicles conclude in Franschhoek, where she'll be speaking next weekend. In this post, I traced the real life outcomes of some her historical characters in the eighteenth-century Cape Colony:

Really delighted to have arrived in Stellenbosch for this workshop on disseminating Economic History. Organized by @johanfourieza.bsky.social with keynote from @delong.social

What do Jacob Zuma and Donald Trump have in common? This essay maps two different threats to modern states – one captured, one feudal – and why the distinction matters.

Reminder: today is the submission deadline for the Our Long Walk Essay Competition!

To celebrate 31 years of political freedom in South Africa, I curated a ChatGPT-written short story:

If we as South Africans are serious about racial transformation, let’s not waste another decade. Let’s invest in understanding exactly what enables (black) entrepreneurial success.

How can a 19th-century Cape Colony coffee boom help to explain the hidden consequences of Trump’s new tariff war?

Economic History of Developing Regions needs a new editor!

Eight months ago, South Africa’s trade delegation returned from Washington with smiles and soundbites. This week, the mood changed. In my latest post, I examine the economic justification for these tariffs, what they reveal about US politics, and how South Africa should respond.

If you're a (South) African student, what do you need to know about doing an Economics PhD in the US or Europe? My advice. (To the economists on BlueSky based in the US or Europe, please add ideas or suggestions in the comments on the blog! Your inputs are much appreciated.)

Will AI lead to a proliferation of superficial publications that all compete in a race to the bottom and, most importantly, do little to advance knowledge or contribute to building a better society?

And another with @johanfourieza.bsky.social and Jonathan Schoots about culture and economics: bsky.app/profile/joha... (2/2)

And just like that, the first essay submission just arrived in my mailbox, a week after announcing the Our Long Walk Essay Competition! If you know any African students 25 years or younger who is interested in the past, present and future of this wonderful continent, then please forward them this:

When the rules are changing, will Africa rewrite them or let others decide its fate? My take on Africa and the new world order:

The Our Long Walk Essay Competition just launched. Any African 25 or younger can apply. The prize money of $500 is not massive. But it is a start. (I'm funding it myself.) And you get your ideas published on the blog. Theme: 'Progress and Innovation in Africa's Past'. Please spread the message!

How the Green Revolution shaped property rights – and what this means for South Africa's land reform process.

South Africa has a Presidential Economic Advisory Council. Understanding who these economists are, and the ideas they advocate, should tell us a lot about the country's future economic policy. @drodrik.bsky.social @wandilesihlobo.bsky.social @haroonbhorat.bsky.social @antonioandreoni.bsky.social

VAT – despite its flaws – remains one of the least distortionary ways to raise revenue. For South Africa, the alternatives – cutting spending on education, healthcare or infrastructure, or taking on more debt – come with a high risk of being worse.

How far back should economic history go? Most textbooks start with agriculture, trade, and the emergence of states. But what if we looked further – beyond written records, beyond cities, beyond even the first farms? A wonderful interview with Ola Olsson about the economics of prehistory!

The recent US Executive Order halting aid to South Africa and prioritising Afrikaner resettlement has sparked debate. While politically motivated, such actions often have underlying economic rationales – whether intentional or not.

Why did solving longitude reshape global trade? How did a battle outside Vienna shape modern conflicts? What does Protestantism’s spread reveal about new ideas? These are some of the big questions in my 2025 global #econhist course at Stellenbosch University, starting today!

Our Long Walk to Economic Freedom advertised on the Media24 building during the State of the Nation address in Cape Town today!

Given Trump's utterances on South Africa today, perhaps it is useful to reflect on the progress South Africa has made after 1994, and the long road ahead. Here's an abstract from the second edition of Our Long Walk to Economic Freedom, out this month (in South African bookshops and on Kindle):

New hypothesis: Coffee → innovation → growth

Last year, @noahpinion.blogsky.venki.dev compared Elon Musk to Henry Ford. Maybe. But I think there's another empire builder who deserves the comparison – one whose ambition, wealth, and imperial vision reshaped an entire continent:

Congrats to @johanfourieza.bsky.social on publishing the Second Edition of “Our Walk to Economic Freedom”. There are new chapters and extensive updates in this addition. I encourage you to get a copy. The book is available nationwide on good bookstores and ebook platforms.

How should economists think about culture? In episode 7 of the Our Long Walk podcast, Jonathan and I interview @nathannunn.bsky.social about why culture matters, zero versus positive-sum thinking (in the US elections), and why economists should study Africa…

Econ history community! Please join us in South Africa in May to discuss disseminating economic history to a broad audience. Brad DeLong will deliver the keynote address. We'll also cover accommodation in Stellenbosch in autumn, the best time of year to visit.

"A great example of digital transformation is the fact that South Africa, a country known for its wealth of gold and diamond resources, has created most of its wealth in the last decade from Chinese kids scavenging for resources in games such as Honor of Kings and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds."

South Africa hosts the G20 this year. Want to understand the country's history from a global perspective? The Kindle second edition of Our Long Walk to Economic Freedom is now available!

Sophia’s remarkable story of freedom sheds light on the often-overlooked history of Cape slavery. While global interest in slavery continues to grow, South Africa lags behind in addressing this aspect of its complex past. But new research is uncovering these hidden narratives.

What is new in the second edition of Our Long Walk to Economic Freedom?

Join us at LEAP this semester for an exciting online seminar series.

AI can narrow inequality—boosting productivity for lower-skilled workers—but only if access expands beyond the wealthy.

What can readers expect from Our Long Walk, my blog about South Africa's (and Africa's) past, present and future, in 2025? (Also: a free book if you join as a paid subscriber.)

New podcast interview about my book… and an AI-generated song about it! podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...

What makes a city thrive? Can the lessons from São Paulo help South Africa’s struggling urban centres? And what can a as urbanization accelerates? In episode 6 of Our Long Walk podcast, Jonathan and I interview Benjamin Bradlow. Listen on Spotify or wherever you find your podcasts.

The future of the world in one map? (Link to full post: www.ourlongwalk.com/p/how-swifti...)

The largest Afrikaans newspaper published its last printed edition a week ago. I've been a monthly columnist for the last decade, and this was my final column. The long walk continues...

really interesting post from @johanfourieza.bsky.social on how reliable South Africa's GDP data might be www.ourlongwalk.com/p/the-curiou...