Paul Bairoch

Paul Bairoch was a Swiss economic historian of Belgian origin who studied urban history, historical demography and the economic history of the Third World.

1930 to 1999Economic history of the Third WorldResearch on protectionism and growthUrban history and historical demography

Born: 24 July 1930, Antwerp
Died: 12 February 1999, Geneva
Occupation: historian, economist
Education: École pratique des hautes études, Free University of Brussels

Paul Bairoch was born in 1930 in Antwerp

Paul Bairoch was born in Antwerp in 1930. He earned a bachelor's degree by correspondence and first planned to become an engineer.

In 1956 he began studying economic history at the Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes in Paris. He received his doctorate in 1963 from the Free University of Brussels, where he worked from 1965 to 1995.

He advised GATT in Geneva from 1967 to 1969 and taught at Sir George Williams University in Montreal from 1969 to 1971. In 1972 he became professor of history at the University of Geneva, and he became a Swiss citizen in 1985. From 1985 he directed research projects on the world economy at a center in Geneva.

His research questioned common views, such as the link between free trade and growth and the idea that colonies enriched colonial powers. He argued that tariffs and growth went together in the 19th century. He retired in 1995 and died in 1999.