Islam, sultans, and the printing press

Organised by

• Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies
• GGP: Global Governance Programme
• Eastern Europe as Laboratory of Change Working Group

What is the enduring impact of Ottoman rule on European economic development? Drawing on detailed historical data on border changes, the study demonstrates that prolonged exposure to Ottoman governance correlates with diminished economic output and constrained private sector growth. Robust evidence is provided for a human capital channel, showing that regions under Ottoman control exhibit lower educational attainment and reduced innovative activity. Additionally, through a regression discontinuity design in Romania, the study isolates the causal effect of Ottoman rule on historical education, revealing persistent disparities in literacy rates. It is argued that the delayed adoption of the printing press hindered knowledge dissemination under Ottoman rule. These findings contribute to the broader discourse on the long-term effects of imperial legacies, underscoring the relevance of historical institutions in shaping contemporary economic outcomes.