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How does believing in god or an afterlife affect human behavior and economic growth? And how are religious beliefs shaped by socioeconomic circumstances and government regulations? In this fascinating book, McCleary and Barro convincingly show how economic concepts can be fruitfully applied to improve our understanding of the role of religion in society worldwide. -Ludger Woessmann, University of Munich McCleary and Barro provide a wonderful introduction to the economics of religion in this engaging and accessible book. Bringing together years of pathbreaking research, The Wealth of Religions is a must-read for anyone interested in the economic approach to religion or the economic impact of religious behavior and institutions. -Jared Rubin, Chapman University, author of Rulers, Religion, and Riches: Why the West Got Rich and the Middle East Did Not The interplay between religion and economics involves various mechanisms, some of which operate at cross-purposes. In this enlightening and entertaining book, Rachel McCleary and Robert Barro provide a sweeping survey of the most penetrating scholarship on this topic, including their own pioneering contributions spanning decades. The Wealth of Religions will appeal to a wide range of scholars, but also to the broader public interested in the social impact of the world's major religions. -Timur Kuran, Duke University This truly impressive book demonstrates how religion and the wealth of nations are intimately linked. Rachel McCleary and Robert Barro present pathbreaking empirical research in a way that makes for an enjoyable read. A must-read for everyone with an interest in the role of religion in society in past and present. -Sascha O. Becker, University of Warwick

How does believing in god or an afterlife affect human behavior and economic growth? And how are religious beliefs shaped by socioeconomic circumstances and government regulations? In this fascinating book, McCleary and Barro convincingly show how economic concepts can be fruitfully applied to improve our understanding of the role of religion in society worldwide. --Ludger Woessmann, University of Munich McCleary and Barro provide a wonderful introduction to the economics of religion in this engaging and accessible book. Bringing together years of pathbreaking research, The Wealth of Religions is a must-read for anyone interested in the economic approach to religion or the economic impact of religious behavior and institutions. --Jared Rubin, Chapman University, author of Rulers, Religion, and Riches: Why the West Got Rich and the Middle East Did Not This truly impressive book demonstrates how religion and the wealth of nations are intimately linked. Rachel McCleary and Robert Barro present pathbreaking empirical research in a way that makes for an enjoyable read. A must-read for everyone with an interest in the role of religion in society in past and present. --Sascha O. Becker, University of Warwick The interplay between religion and economics involves various mechanisms, some of which operate at cross-purposes. In this enlightening and entertaining book, Rachel McCleary and Robert Barro provide a sweeping survey of the most penetrating scholarship on this topic, including their own pioneering contributions spanning decades. The Wealth of Religions will appeal to a wide range of scholars, but also to the broader public interested in the social impact of the world's major religions. --Timur Kuran, Duke University It might seem incongruous, but applying the principles of economics to the realm of religious faith and observance leads to some fascinating insights. Reviving questions first raised by Max Weber and others over a century ago, Rachel McCleary and Robert Barro ask if there is, after all, a Protestant ethic related to the spirit of capitalism. What have been the economic consequences of the spread of Islam? Is secularization an irresistible consequence of rising incomes? The answers presented here to these and other questions would have delighted the late David Landes, whose Wealth and Poverty of Nations did so much to revive scholarly interest in the economic history of religion. --Niall Ferguson, Milbank Family Senior Fellow, the Hoover Institution, Stanford, and author of The Ascent of Money and The Square and the Tower

The Wealth of Religions glitters with empirical findings . . . . a product of meticulous research. ---Jonathan Benthall, Times Literary Supplement

Author Information

Rachel M. McCleary is lecturer in the Department of Economics at Harvard University. Her books include The Oxford Handbook of the Economics of Religion. Robert J. Barro is the Paul M. Warburg Professor of Economics at Harvard. His books include Education Matters: Global Schooling Gains from the 19th to the 21st Century and Economic Growth. They both live in Massachusetts.

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