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4. The British Empire, circa 1870: 21% of global output
4. 大英帝国，1870年前后：占全球经济产出总量的21%
For most of human history, economists have very little evidence to estimate historical GDP. But all that changes once we get to the height of the British Empire, where extensive tax and other records make the job a bit easier. The British are also the first empire on the list that dominated the globe economically without strictly controlling an equally large percentage of the global population. Britain’s advantage came from the huge technological boost of the industrial revolution, as well as its aptitude for profiting from its colonial possessions. At the height of the British Empire, about 6% of its total output came from its colonies, more than any other Western power.
对于人类历史长河上的大部分时间，经济学家都没有足够信息，来估算出各国历年的国内生产总值（GDP）。但是到了大英帝国鼎盛时期，情况发生了变化，当时留下了大量的税收记录及其它记录，都为经济学家提供了参考。此外，在本文列出的这五大经济帝国当中，大英帝国也是第一个在没有控制同等比例人口的情况下，就在经济上称霸全球的国家。大英帝国的优势来自于工业革命对科技产生的巨大推动力，以及它从众多殖民领地中攫取利益的能力。在大英帝国的鼎盛时期，该国的经济总产出约有6%来自于殖民地，这一比例要高于任何其它西方大国。
