Following his The World Economy: a Millennial Perspective, Angus Maddison here offers a rare insight into the history and political influence of national accounts and national accounting. He demonstrates that such statistical data can shed light on the analysis of economic phenomena such as growth, market formation and income distribution. This approach is particularly interesting for developing countries often lacking the expertise or data to produce good national accounts. It also serves as a reminder for OECD countries that effective policy making depends on verifiable economic data.

This book includes tables showing Maddison's estimates for the world and its major regions from as early as the year 1000. It is intended as a research guide for future comparisons of economic performance in space and time. It is for scholars and students of economics and economic history as well as for statisticians.

Angus Maddison (6 December 1926 – 24 April 2010) was a British economist and a world scholar on quantitative macroeconomic history, including the measurement and analysis of economic growth and development. He was Emeritus Professor at the Faculty of Economics at the University of Groningen (RUG).