On the Staples theory dimension of this thread, it occurs to me to mention that
Gordon Holmes, a ph.d student in the history department at McMaster
University is at work on a dissertation on the intellectual history of the
staples approach in Canadian Economic History between 1920 and 1963. He
expects to complete the thesis in about a year.

Also, I vaguely a recall a controversy on the staples approach involving
Richard Caves and Donald Gordon that appeared in print but don't recall
details. Presumably a google scholar research would provide further
details.

David Mitch