Econ 196: CLASS 1: Introduction, & the Very Longest Run Shape of Human Economic History
A very rough & then somewhat compressed transcript of much of the class, with a short introductory summary…
Course Introduction and Structure
Econ 196: Quantitative Long Run Global Economic History
Schedule: Tuesdays 1-3pm Evans 560 (attendance required), Thursdays 1-3pm optional Zoom sessions, save for
your turn in the hot seat: 20-minute one-on-one meetings with professor via Zoom
5-6 meetings per Thursday, rotating through class every 5 weeks
Instructor Background
Brad Delong, 32 years at Berkeley
Left U.S. Treasury Department in 1995 (worked under Bob Rubin)
Couldn’t handle Goldman Sachs-style always-on-call culture for 1/10 Goldman Sachs pay
Chose to remain married by leaving the Treasury (That’s a joke. Mostly.)
Recruited by Barry Eichengreen and Christina Romer and company to jump to Berkeley.
Grading Philosophy
Grade inflation context: Princeton avg GPA 3.8, Harvard 3.83
Decision: Everyone gets A unless they don’t show up or completely zone out
Rationale: Unfair to penalize students given peer institution standards
Requirements: Show up Tuesdays, do pre-class assignments (code correctness not required), engage in Zooms, do readings, participate meaningfully
Assignments Structure
Short weekly writing assignments due Sundays
Background readings for following week (to be determined based on class progress)
Possible data science components with small datasets
Final paper decision depends on first month engagement level
Liberal Arts Philosophy
Etymology: “artes liberales” = skills for free persons
Medieval curriculum: Logic, grammar, rhetoric, arithmetic, geometry, harmony, astronomy/astrology
Modern equivalent: Data science literacy as “fine chancery hand” of our era
Goal: Train students as front-end interfaces to humanity’s collective knowledge
Technology and Learning Framework
Python programming introduction
Population data structure creation
Emphasis on compressed, arcane syntax origins (Turing, WWII constraints)
Tolkien/Lord of Rings influence on “magical” programming culture
Human population data visualization
8.25 billion current population
Exponential growth from 10,000 (75,000 years ago) to present
Key inflection points: agriculture (-8000), civilization growth, modern explosion
Class Logistics
bCourses site for all materials and communications
Read course welcome emails carefully
Attendance policy: Maximum 1-2 absences for serious reasons only
Thursday Zoom format: Previous week’s discussion + instructor reality check
Random selection for Thursday hot seat participation.
Meeting Title: Econ 196, Class 1
Date: January 20, 2026
Location: Evans 560, UC Berkeley
Professor J. Bradford DeLong: Welcome. We begin as we hope to go on.