Paul A. David

Early life and education David was born into a Jewish family in New York on May 24, 1935. His father was a history professor at Columbia University. a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a fellow of the British Academy, a fellow of the Oxford Internet Institute and All Souls College, Oxford, a member of the American Philosophical Society, a professor emeritus and senior fellow of Stanford University's Institute for Economic Policy Research, and professorial fellow at the UNU-MERIT.

Notable works David's work focused on the history of technological change and its economic impact. He wrote several papers and books on this topic, including "Clio and the Economics of QWERTY" (1985), "The Dynamo and the Computer: An Historical Perspective on the Modern Productivity Paradox" (1990), and Path Dependence, Its Critics and the Quest for Historical Economics (1997). He also made important contributions to our understanding of the economics of intellectual property, the history of telecommunications, and the economics of innovation.

Personal life and death David was married to Sheila Ryan Johansson-David, a historian. The couple had two children. An earlier marriage to Janet M. Williamson in 1958 had ended in a divorce. He had two children from this earlier marriage.

David died on January 23, 2023, at age 87.

Academic honors Fellow of the International Econometrics Society (1975) President of the Economic History Association

Publications Reinterpreting Economic Growth: Parables and Realities, with Moses Abramovitz, American Economic Review, 1973 "Clio and the Economics of QWERTY", American Economic Review, 1985 Technical Choice, Innovation and Economic Growth (1975) The Economic Future in Historical Perspective (2003)