Largest economy in the world in history?

[Verbose]

And it if were only the pre-1860 ones... if that index was realistic then India's "industrial production" between 1830 and 1900 (whatever that may be) collapses by more than 2/3 in absolute terms, despite a huge increase in population and new technology! Likewise, but to a lesser degree, with China. Japan's numbers, especially the most recent ones, are also absurd. And then we have Western Germany producing more that the USSR in 1980, Japan producing half as much as the USA, France's trente glorieuses compressed in the 1970s, etc.

I might be wrong, but to me it seems the figures indicate relative proportion (%) of "industrial production".

Then again, problem with that is still what amount of "non-industrial" production was boing done, especially in places like India (where manufacture didn't fare all that well under British rule anyway)?

So, relative numbers for the cut of the global production for various nations at various times, and only "industrial".

 

[Domen]

I guess they count not only production in manufactures and factories, but all production of "industrial products / goods". But I may be wrong.

but to me it seems the figures indicate relative proportion (%)

Yes. And they also give global proportion (where production in year 1900 = 100).