Hundreds of years ago, across Europe - from Germany to Scandinavia, France to Britain - tens of thousands of mostly women were executed, accused of being witches. The persecution reached its height in the 16th and 17th centuries. But why? And could economics help explain the hysteria?
Hosts Gillian Tett and Robin Wigglesworth are joined by Brown University economist Emily Oster, whose research explores whether colder temperatures during the Little Ice Age led to economic hardship and an increased number of witch trials. They discuss how Oster used historical weather and witch trial data to investigate the connection, how evolving economic data changes our perceptions of history and what Europe's witch hunts reveal about scapegoating.
Further reading:
Witchcraft, Weather and Economic Growth in Renaissance Europe, The Journal of Economic Perspectives, by Emily Oster
Witch Trials, The Economic Journal, by Peter T. Leeson and Jacob W. Russ
Malleus Maleficarum, by Heinrich Kramer
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Hosts: Gillian Tett & Robin Wigglesworth
Producer: Lulu Smyth
Senior producer: Michela Tindera
Executive producer: Kate Ford
Original music and sound design: Breen Turner
Video editor: Michael Saliba
Podcast development: Laura Clarke
FT global head of audio: Flo Phillips
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