  Historical economic growth in Asia (excluding Japan) is analysed. It is shown
that Unified Growth Theory is contradicted by the data, which were used (but
not analysed) during the formulation of this theory. Unified Growth Theory does
not explain the mechanism of economic growth. It explains the mechanism of
Malthusian stagnation, which did not exist and it explains the mechanism of the
transition from stagnation to growth that did not happen. The data show that
the economic growth in Asia was never stagnant but hyperbolic. The alleged
dramatic takeoff around 1900 or around any other time did not happen. However,
the theory contains also a dangerous and strongly-misleading concept that after
a long epoch of stagnation we have now entered the epoch of sustained economic
growth, the concept creating the sense of security. The opposite is true. After
the epoch of sustained and secure economic growth we have now entered the epoch
of a fast-increasing and insecure economic growth.
