A new method is introduced to study divergence between economies. Data indicative of economic progress is utilised for this study. The data for a less developed economy is expressed as a percentage of a more developed economy for the corresponding years. Then a correlation between the newly generated values with the data for the developed economy is calculated. This is named as divergence index. A negative value close to -1 for this index signifies great divergence and a positive value signifies the absence of divergence. This idea is applied to data for silver wages and GDP (Gross Domestic Product) per capita for Asian and European economies with the British economy as a reference. The divergence index calculated for Asian countries with respect to Britain show that a Great divergence existed for the imperial period. A similar calculation for Italy with Britain reveals the greater extent of divergence than that was often conceived regarding the idea of little divergence.