Economic history Books

Book SynopsisThe Silk Road was the current name for a complex of ancient trade routes linking East Asia with Central Asia, South Asia, and the Mediterranean world. This network of exchange emerged along the borders between agricultural China and the steppe nomads during the Han Dynasty (206BCE-220CE), in consequence of the inter-dependence and the conflicts of these two distinctive societies. In their quest for horses, fragrances, and spices, gems, glassware, and other exotics from the lands to their west, the Han Empire extended its dominion over the oases around the Takla Makan Desert and sent silk all the way to the Mediterranean, either through the land routes leading to the caravan city of Palmyra in Syria desert, or by way of northwest India, the Arabian Sea and the Red Sea, landing at Alexandria. The Silk Road survived the turmoil of the demise of the Han and Roman Empires, reached its golden age during the early middle age, when the Byzantine Empire and the Tang Empire became centers of silk culture and established the models for high culture of the Eurasian world. The coming of Islam extended silk culture to an even larger area and paved the way for an expanded market for textiles and other commodities. By the 11th century, however, the Silk Road was in decline because of intense competition from the sea routes of the Indian Ocean. Using demand and supply as the framework for analyzing the formation and development of the Silk Road, the book examines the dynamics of the interactions of the nomadic pastoralists with sedentary agriculturalists, and the spread of new ideas, religions, and values into the world of commerce, thus illustrating the cultural forces underlying material transactions. This effort at tracing the interconnections of the diverse participants in the transcontinental Silk Road exchange will demonstrate that the world had been linked through economic and ideological forces long before the modern era.Trade ReviewA welcome addition to the New Oxford World History series...Any general reader interested in silk or textiles will enjoy this book, but so too will one who is captivated by any other aspect of the Silk Road, for it provides a quick but fascinating historical narrative. As a textbook for a world history class, its appeal lies not only in the romance of the Silk Road but also in its use of material culture to write world history by connecting economic and political activities with the religious values of various traditions. * Journal of Asian Studies *A carefully constructed narrative and analysis...This is an excellent text that will be useful for orientating students and introducing them to the sources and interpretive problems of ancient and medieval Central Asian history. * World History Bulletin *Table of ContentsChapter 1: China looks west ; Chapter 2: Rome looks east ; Chapter 3: The Kushan Empire and the Silk Road ; Chapter 4: The golden age: The Byzantine Empire (310-1453 CE) and Tang China (618-906 CE) ; Chapter 5: The coming of Islam ; Chapter 6: Religions, languages, and artistic styles of the Silk Road

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Book SynopsisA vast region stretching roughly from the Volga River to Manchuria and the northern Chinese borderlands, Central Asia has been called the pivot of history, a land where nomadic invaders and Silk Road traders changed the destinies of states that ringed its borders, including pre-modern Europe, the Middle East, and China. In Central Asia in World History, Peter B. Golden provides an engaging account of this important region, ranging from prehistory to the present, and focusing largely on the unique melting pot of cultures that this region has produced. Golden describes the traders who braved the heat and cold along caravan routes to link East Asia and Europe; the Mongol Empire of Genghis Khan and his successors, the largest contiguous land empire in history; the invention of gunpowder, which allowed the great sedentary empires to overcome the horse-based nomads; the power struggles of Russia and China, and later Russia and Britain, for control of the area. Finally, he discusses the regioTrade ReviewThis concise but comprehensive textbook outlines the transformation of Central Asia from prehistory to the collapse of the USSR. ... The scope is ambitious ... the book is chronologically, spatially, and thematically wide-ranging without sacrificing the level of detail in the narrative. * Jagjeet Lally, Journal of Global History *Table of Contents1. Editors' Preface

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Book SynopsisA timely update of the authoritative, engaging history of Wall Street and its role in the economic history of the United States and the world.

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Book SynopsisThe letter-books of the Royal African Company of England form the most substantial and important source of material on English trade in West Africa in the late seventeenth century. The original texts, covering the period 1681-1699, are being published in full in three or four volumes. This first volume contains the letters for the years 1681-1683.Trade ReviewRobin Law is to be commended for editing the Rawlinson collection in an important, scholarly, three-volume set. * African Affairs *

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Book SynopsisThe great depression of the years between the World Wars is widely held to have led to the collapse of democracy in many countries. This study of Greece, which recovered quickly from the economic crisis, argues that there is no simple correlation between economic and political crisis.Trade Review'masterly, and very well-written ... Mazower's book provides the indispensable economic context of the slide towards authoritarianism in 1930s Greece, a development that was paralleled in the other countries of the Balkans.' Times Higher Education Supplement`closely researched study, ... it is an authoritative analysis of Greek politicians in their social and economic context and of the interplay of domestic political, economic and social forces. Nigel Clive, The Times Literary Supplement'a splendid study ... a well-written and thoroughly researched book, one valuable to the scholar and interesting and enlightening to the general reader. It should become an indispensable reading for all students of modern Greek history. Mazower has produced a good book.' John A. Koumoulides, Ball State University, History'Thanks to his knowledge of the language, Mazower makes good use of a wealth of information available in Greek.' Thanos Veremis, University of Athens, European History Quarterly'this pathbreaking study will do much to attract interest to a previously neglected area ... It is the first scholarly work on Modern Greek economic history to appear in English ... Meticulously researched ... and accompanied by a wealth of illuminating tables ... this volume will be of interest to more than economic historians, and the author has clearly made great efforets to make the book accessible to all readers ... This is a volume that provides what has long been the missing economic dimension in the history of inter-war Greece; as such, it will be essential for anyone looking at Greece's political history.' Erik Goldstein, University of Birmingham, MGS 11:2, October 1993The author has made extensive use of Greek sources and recent Greek research and he brings out the ebb and flow of Greek politics as well. * English Historical Review *Table of ContentsList of abbreviations; Introduction; Politics and social change; The wartime inheritance; Reconstruction and recovery; The export crisis; The financial crisis; Abandoning the Gold Standard; The new trade regime; Domestic recovery and the state; Conclusion; Tables; Appendix 1. Debt default of the periphery; Appendix 2. The impact of import restrictions; Bibliography; Index

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Book SynopsisThis classic study of a single community in early modern England has had a major influence on the interpretation of the social dynamics of the period. It opens with a chapter establishing this small Essex parish in the national context of economic and social change in the years between 1525 and 1700. Thereafter the chapters examine the economy of Terling; its demographic history; its social structure; the relationships of the villagers with the courts of the church and state; the growth of popular literacy; the impact of the reformation, and the rise in puritanism. The overall process of change is then characterized in a powerful interpretive chapter on the changing pattern of social relationships in the parish.This revised edition has a new chapter, ''Terling Revisited'' which addresses the debate occasioned by the book, notably over kinship relations in early modern England, and the impact of puritanism on local society. In both cases a new interpretive synthesis is attempted and the argument of the first edition is defended, elaborated, and advanced in the light of subsequent research.Trade ReviewFrom reviews of the hardback: `This book is one of the best of its kind. Wrightson and Levine have produced a powerful model to which all later studies will refer.' American Historical Review

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Book SynopsisIn this volume an international team of scholars builds up a comprehensive analysis of the fiscal history of Europe over six centuries. It forms a fundamental starting-point for an understanding of the distinctiveness of the emerging European states, and highlights the issue of fiscal power as an essential prerequisite for the development of the modern state.Trade Reviewthe fifteen contributors have published much in their fields, and their collective scholarly authority lends value to this book. It deserves, indeed, the approbation of the European Union, and the Presses universitaires de France might proudly and promptly publish it in French * American Historical Review (Oct 2000) *By covering such an extended range of 'states' this volume presents a unique guide to national fiscal institutions and a basis for comparing their different character and evolution. * G. L. Harris, EHR *The overall organisation and breadth of this collection on Europes fiscal history are as impressive as the authors credentials ... this is a fine book. * A.Barrett, Choice, July/Aug 00, Vol.37, No.11/12. *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; 1. England in the Middle Ages ; 2. England 1485-1815 ; 3. France in the Middle Ages ; 4. France 1494-1815 ; 5. Castile in the Middle Ages ; 6. Castile 1516-1808 ; 7. The Holy Roman Empire in the Middle Ages ; 8. The Low Countries to 1569 ; 9. The United Provinces 1579-1806 ; 10. The Swiss Confederation ; 11. The Papacy and the Papal States ; 12. Venice ; 13. The Italian States after c.1600 ; 14. Poland-Lithuania before Partition ; 15. Russia 1200-1815 ; Index

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Book SynopsisWhile ethics has been an integral part of economics since the days of Adam Smith (if not Aristotle), many modern economists dismiss ethical concerns in favor of increasing formal mathematical and computational methods. But recent financial crises in the real world have reignited discussions of the importance of ethics to economics, including growing calls for a new approach to incorporating moral philosophy in economic theory, practice, and policy. Ironically, it is the ethics of virtue advocated by Aristotle and Adam Smith that may lead to the most promising way to developing an economics that emphasizes the virtues, character, and judgment of the agents it models. In Economics and the Virtues, editors Jennifer A. Baker and Mark D. White have brought together fifteen leading scholars in economics and philosophy to offer fresh perspectives on integrating virtue into economics. The first section covers five major thinkers and schools in the virtue tradition, tracing historical connectioTrade ReviewWhat kinds of habits to markets engender? Does capitalism corrupt, or does it promote trust, cooperation, and the development of human excellance? Can economists really make sense of human behaviour without paying attention to questions of character? Jennifer A.Baker and Mark D.White's fascinating volume assembles a wide-raning roster of scholars who lay out the best current thinking on these questions in erudite yet readable prose. It turns out that economists do have much to learn from the rich moral psychology of Aristotle, the Stoics, Adam Smith, and Kant. It turns out that markets aren't so bad for the soul. This is an indispensable collection for anyone interested in moral psychology, economic theory, or the morality of markets. * Will Wilkinson, Vice President for the Policy, Niskanen Center and former writer for The Economist *Twentieth century economics sought rigour in models of rational choice, thereby bracketing concern with the goods that economic action can seek or undermine, and distancing economics from ethics. Economics and the Virtues is a rich and rewarding collection that brings together stimulating accounts of this loss and of some possibilities for retrieval. It explore classical accounts of the virtues, and argues that they remain essential not only to character but to culture, including the culture of markets' * Onora O'Neill, Baroness O'Neill of Bengarve, and Emeritus Professor of Philosophy, University of Cambridge *Table of ContentsPART I: APPROACHES TO VIRTUE AND ECONOMICS; PART II: VIRTUE AND ECONOMICS IN THEORY; PART III: VIRTUE AND ECONOMICS IN PRACTICE

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Book SynopsisAround 1500 England''s society and economy had reached a turning point. After a long period of slow change and even stagnation, an age of innovation and initiative was in motion, with enclosure, voyages of discovery, and new technologies. It was an age of fierce controversy, in which the government was fearful of beggars and wary of rebellions. The ''commonwealth'' writers such as Thomas More were sharply critical of the greed of profit hungry landlords who dispossessed the poor. This book is about a wool merchant and large scale farmer who epitomises in many ways the spirit of the period. John Heritage kept an account book, from which we can reconstruct a whole society in the vicinity of Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire. He took part in the removal of a village which stood in the way of agricultural ''improvement'', ran a large scale sheep farm, and as a ''woolman'' spent much time travelling around the countryside meeting with gentry, farmers, and peasants in order to buy their woolTrade Review[A] rich work ... greatly enhances our appreciation of the more dynamic elements typical of the period. * R. B. Peberdy, Oxoniensia *Dyer is scrupulous in sticking to his sources, and in doing so provides us with a fresh, deep and measured understanding of rural society at the turn of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. * Paul Warde, History *Christopher Dyer's most recent book shows his characteristic impeccable scholarship and ability to illuminate the lives of otherwise obscure people. ... I am a great fan of Dyer's work and can wholeheartedly recommend this book to other readers. * Kathleen Troup, Parergon *a significant work of scholarship about a Gloucestershire wool merchant and large-scale farmer. ... Highly informative and a pleasure to read, with much more than local importance. * Northern History *This is a dense, detailed and highly scholarly book which can be read with pleasure, as well as for enlightenment. * Paul Stamper, Journal of Medieval Archaeology *Throughout his long and distinguished career, Dyer's work has been characterized by clear presentation of arguments and accessible prose, and this book is no exception. The publisher has sought to broaden the book's appeal to a general readership by including a large number of photographs of places discussed in the text and providing other useful ancillary material. * James Masschaele, Agricultural History Review *Table of Contents1. Introduction: Living in 1495-1520 ; 2. Family and household: John Heritage and his Contemporaries ; 3. John Heritage's Country ; 4. John Heritage's Wool Business ; 5. Pasture, Sheep, Wool, and People ; 6. Beyond the Account Book: Changing the Countryside ; 7. Individuals and Communities ; 8. Conclusion ; Appendix 1: Sample pages from the account book ; Appendix 2: Tables of gathered wool, Heritage's own wool, and wool prices ; Appendix 3: Deserted Villages ; Bibliography ; Index

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Book SynopsisThis volume brings together an exciting range of new studies of top incomes in a wide range of countries from around the world. The studies use data from income tax records to cast light on the dramatic changes that have taken place at the top of the income distribution. The results cover 22 countries and have a long time span, going back to 1875.Table of Contents1. Top Indian Incomes, 1922-2000 ; 2. Income inequality and progressive income taxation in China and India, 1986-2015 ; 3. The evolution of income concentration in Japan, 1886-2005: Evidence from income tax statistics ; 4. Top incomes in Indonesia, 1920-2004 ; 5. Top incomes in a rapidly growing economy: Singapore ; 6. The rich in Argentina over the twentieth century 1932-2004 ; 7. Top Incomes in Sweden over the twentieth century ; 8. Trends in top income shares in Finland ; 9. Top incomes in Norway ; 10. Income and wealth concentration in Spain in a historical and fiscal perspective ; 11. Top incomes and earnings in Portugal 1936-2005 ; 12. Top incomes in Italy 1974-2004 ; 13. Top incomes in the long run of history

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Book SynopsisBased on pioneering research on top incomes, this volume uses data from income tax records in 10 OECD countries over the past century to cast new light on the dramatic changes that have taken place among top earners. The volume provides rich material for exploring inequality, taxation, the impact of wars, and executive compensation.Table of Contents1. Top Incomes over the Twentieth Century: A Summary of the Main Findings ; 2. Measuring Top Incomes: Methodological Issues ; 3. Income, Wage, and Wealth Inequality in France, 1901-1998 ; 4. The Distribution of Top Incomes in the United Kingdom, 1908-2000 ; 5. Income and Wage Inequality in the United States, 1913-2002 ; 6. The Evolution of High Incomes in Canada, 1920-2000 ; 7. The Distribution of Top Incomes in Australia ; 8. The Distribution of Top Incomes in New Zealand ; 9. Top Incomes in Germany throughout the Twentieth Century, 1891-1998 ; 10. Top Incomes in the Netherlands over the Twentieth Century ; 11. Income and Wealth Concentration in Switzerland over the Twentieth Century ; 12. Long Term Trends in Top Income Shares in Ireland ; 13. Towards a Unified Data Set on Top Incomes

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Book SynopsisPrivate bankers have been defined as owner-managers of their bank, irrespective of their type of activity, which could be in any field of banking, sometimes in conjunction with another one, especially commerce in the earlier periods. Analysing the experiences of European private bankers from the early modern period to the early twenty-first century, this book starts by examining the slow emergence of specialist private bankers, largely from amongst those who provided commercial credit. This initial consideration culminates in a focus upon the roles that they played, both during the onset of the continent''s industrialization, and in orchestrating the finances of the emerging world economy. Its second theme is private banking''s waning importance with the rise of joint-stock competitors, which became increasingly apparent in Britain during the mid-nineteenth century, and elsewhere within Europe some decades later. Lastly, attention is paid to the decline of private bankers in the twentiTable of ContentsIntroduction ; 1. . Instruments, institutions, centres and networks: developing the structural framework, c.1300-1700 ; 2. Public and private markets for capital and credit, 1688-1793 ; 3. War and economic transformation, 1793-185 ; 4. Golden age, 1815-1870 ; 5. The onset of the corporate economy, 1870-1914 ; 6. Indian summer, 1914-1931 ; 7. Decline and renaissance, 1931-c.2000 ; Conclusion

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Book SynopsisAdam Smith (1723-90) is a thinker with a distinctive perspective on human behaviour and social institutions. He is best known as the author of the An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations (1776). Yet his work is name-checked more often than it is read and then typically it is of an uninformed nature; that he is an apologist for capitalism, a forceful promoter of self-interest, a defender of greed and a critic of any ''interference'' in market transactions. To offset this caricature, this Handbook provides an informed portrait. Drawing on the expertise of leading Smith scholars from around the world, it reflects the depth and breadth of Smith''s intellectual interests. After an introductory outline chapter on Smith''s life and times, the volume comprises 28 new essays divided into seven parts. Five sections are devoted to particular themes in Smith''s corpus - his views on Language, Art and Culture; his Moral Philosophy; his Economic thought, his discussions of HisTrade ReviewThis ambitious volume, containing no fewer than 28 original contributions, covers every aspect of Adam Smith's work, providing assessment of his conclusions on economic and social progress and how far these might generate moral principles which would offer guidelines for governmental action. * Professor Sir Alan Peacock, DSC, BFA, FRSE *This volume, edited by leading Adam Smith scholars, collects fresh contributions to the multidisciplinary understanding and interpretation of Adam Smith for all time. It is a most welcome and timely addition to the re-surging rediscovery of Adam Smith. * Vernon L. Smith, Chapman University, 2002 Nobel Laureate in Economics *This unusually wide-ranging and interdisciplinary volume makes a splendid contribution to the growing contemporary literature on Adam Smith. It will be of interest both to students and accomplished scholars of Smith's work. The essays are meticulously edited and well-written. * Charles L. Griswold, Philosophy Department, Boston University *Adam Smith had a profound wisdom and grasp of human nature and civil society. This Handbook introduces us to his comprehensive thought and leads us to contemplate the capability of humankind to create a universal good society * Hideo Tanaka, Professor, Kyoto University *Table of ContentsPART I: ADAM SMITH: HERITAGE AND CONTEMPORARIES; PART II: ADAM SMITH ON LANGUAGE, ART, AND CULTURE; PART III: ADAM SMITH AND MORAL PHILOSOPHY; PART IV: ADAM SMITH AND ECONOMICS; PART V: ADAM SMITH ON HISTORY AND POLITICS; PART VI: ADAM SMITH ON SOCIAL RELATIONS; PART VII: ADAM SMITH: LEGACY AND INFLUENCE

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Book SynopsisSince the 1940s Americans and Britons have come to enjoy an era of rising material abundance. Yet this has been accompanied by a range of social and personal disorders, including family breakdown, addiction, mental instability, crime, obesity, inequality, economic insecurity, and declining trust. Avner Offer argues that well-being has lagged behind affluence in these societies, because they present an environment in which consistent choices are difficult to achieve over different time ranges and in which the capacity for personal and social commitment is undermined by the flow of novelty. His approach draws on economics and social science, makes use of the latest cognitive research, and provides a detailed and reasoned critique of modern consumer society, especially the assumption that freedom of choice necessarily maximizes individual and social well-being. The book falls into three parts. Part one analyses the ways in which economic resources map on to human welfare, why choice is soTrade ReviewAvner Offer's latest sparkling and intellectually pugnacious contribution to his protean bibliography represents a tour de force of scholarship and provocative argument... this is an enormously rich and highly penetrating and stimulating study, based on vast and perceptive reading and research. It is also novel in its substance and approach. * Barry Supple, The English Historical Review *An intriguing book...one of Britain's most subtle thinkers about how we live now. * Will Hutton, The Observer *[A] powerful argument... This is a book that uses the tools of economics to illuminate the myopic lens through which economics views the world. * Barry Schwartz, London Review of Books *Avner Offer inserts a moral dimension into the study of economic history that has been missing since R.H. Tawney, offering a warning of the undesirable consequences of the pursuit of individual self-interest. * M.J. Daunton, Economic History Review *...an intelligent, original, provocative, and moralistic book which should make historians think extremely seriously about important questions, even if they find themselves in disagreement with his approach. * M.J. Daunton, Economic History Review *This insightful book provides a fresh and refreshing new look at life in the United States and Britain over the past half century...provides invaluable insights. * John F Helliwell, EH.NET *A brilliantly argued book. * William Skidelsky, Prospect *..always fascinating and thought provoking, Offer's range of reference is remarkably broad. He travels confidently across the social-science spectrum. * Howard Davies, THES *In the 1960s and 1970s, economists started worrying about environmental and social limits to growth. Avner Offer has added a weighty new critique to this tradition. * The Economist *The book is an invaluable source of information on changing attitudes and practices in the US and Britain since the end of the second world war. * Samuel Brittan, Financial Times *an uncompromising work of scholarship * Martin Vander Weyer, The Spectator *...diligently and readably exposes the extent to which the past 25 years have forced people in the English-speaking world to believe that there is no alternative to dual-income workaholic consumerism, the "hedonic treadmill". * Oliver James, The Guardian *Sceptics who want some political muscle behind the diagnosis of our discontents will enjoy Avner Offer's account of why more means worse... * Boyd Tonkin and Christina Patterson, The Independent *Offer makes many compelling and interesting arguments that are backed by a wealth of data and analysis. * Charles Kenny, Business History Review *This is a wide, wise, and careful book. * Joy Parr, Journal of Economic History *Offer's narrative of a complex and difficult topic is masterful. * Barnaby Marsh, Economic and Human Biology *Offer's analysis of the complex relationship between economic markets and relationships and non-economic dynamics such as love, regard and esteem, and the impact of affluence on these interrelated systems, is superb. * Helen Laville, The Americas *The experience of reading The Challenge of Affluence is suffused with a pervasive suspicion that this might just be one of the most important books you have read. * Tim Jackson, Social Policy and Administration *a fascinating, ambitious, wide-ranging, freewheeling, and sometimes exasperating book about the perils of affluence. * Bruce G. Carruthers, American Journal of Sociology *Table of ContentsPreface ; 1. Introduction ; PART ONE: EVALUATING AFFLUENCE ; 2. Economic Welfare Measures and Human Well-Being ; 3. Passions and Interests: Self-Control and Well-Being ; 4. Myopic and Rational Choice ; 5. Between the Gift and the Market: The Economy of Regard ; PART TWO: IN THE MARKETPLACE ; 6. The Mask of Intimacy: Advertising and Well-Being ; 7. Epidemics of Abundance: Body-Weight and Self-Control ; 8. Household Appliances and the Use of Time ; 9. The American Automobile Frenzy of the 1950s ; 10. Driving Prudently: American and European ; PART THREE: SELF AND OTHERS ; 11. Affluence and the Pursuit of Status ; 12. Inequality Hurts ; 13. All You Need is Love? Mating since the 1950s ; 14. Women and Children Last: The Ebbing of Commitment ; 15. Conclusion

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Book SynopsisMost of what has been written on the economy of the middle ages is deeply influenced by abstract concepts and theories. The most powerful and popular of these guiding beliefs are derived from intellectual foundations laid down in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries by Adam Smith, Johan von Thünen, Thomas Malthus, David Ricardo, and Karl Marx. In the hands of twentieth-century historians and social scientists these venerable ideas have been moulded into three grand explanatory ideas which continue to dominate interpretations of economic development. These trumpet in turn the claims of ''commercialization'', ''population and resources'', or ''class power and property relations'' as the prime movers of historical change. In this highly original book John Hatcher and Mark Bailey examine the structure and test the validity of these conflicting models from a variety of perspectives. In the course of their investigations they provide not only detailed reconstructions of the economic histoTrade ReviewAs a one-stop book for archaeologists seeking to understand the intellectual debates that lurk implicitly behind so much historical writing on the medieval economy, this is excellent. * The Society for Medieval Archaeology *Intriguing ... highly enjoyable and provocative. * The Agricultural History Review *Modelling the Middle Ages ... provides a cogent and comprehensive survey of the history and economics of late medieval England and an invaluable survey and an invaluable survey of the history of thought concerning those topics. * EH.NET *Overall, the book does an excellent job of accomplishing its two goals. The first was to provide a clear and accessible introduction to the conceptual frameworks that have dominated this field for many decades. The second was to assess the strengths and weaknesses, relevance, and credibility of the models. * EH.NET *Lucid, learned, and at times passionate ... the book is important and will undoubtedly be found indispensable for many years to come. * English Historical Review *Will be welcomed by students and teachers of economic history. Examining English economic development between the Norman Conquest and the late fifteenth century they [Hatcher and Bailey] present a wonderfully clear exposition of the three 'classic supermodels' that have dominated debates on the medieval economy and its transition towards commercial modernity ... The very real achievement of this book is to make these debates and their consequences accessible and interesting, even at times positively exciting ... few could doubt its usefulness and timeliness. * History Workshop Journal *Table of Contents1. Methods and Models ; 2. Population and Resources ; 3. Class Power and Property Relations ; 4. Commercialization, Markets, and Technology ; 5. The Importance of Time and Place ; 6. Beyond the Classic Supermodels ; Guide to Further Reading

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Book SynopsisExamines the history of British worldwide expansion from the Glorious Revolution of 1689 to the end of the Napoleonic Wars, a crucial phase in the creation of the modern British Empire.Trade ReviewOxford University Press has recently published a wide variety of historical titles in paperback. Pride of place must go to the five volume Oxford History of the British Empire written under the general editorship of Professor William Roger Lewis and published in hardback in 1998. The five volumes, describe the history and effect of the Empire on world history. The scholars who contributed and the volumes' individual editors all deserve high praise for thie massive undertaking. * Contemporary Review *a set of authors with impeccable credentials ... provide ... systematic overviews. * Miles Ogborn, Journal of Historical Geography, 26, 3. *Review from previous edition readers can be assured of solid summaries of the state-of-play on the various specialist topics covered. This is a fine volume that gives British imperial historians plenty to consider. * Kenneth Morgan, Jnl of Imperial and Commonwealth History. *Table of ContentsList of Contributors; List of Maps; List of Figures; List of Tables; Abbreviations ; 1. Introduction ; 2. British Diaspora: Emigration from Britain 1680-1815 ; 3. Inseparable Connections: Trade, Economy, Fiscal State, and the Expansion of Empire 1688-1815 ; 4. The Imperial Economy 1700-1776 ; 5. The Anointed, the Appointed, and the Elected: Governance of the British Empire 1689-1784 ; 6. Religious Faith and Commercial Empire ; 7. Colonial Wars and Imperial Instability 1688-1793 ; 8. Sea-Power and Empire 1688-1793 ; 9. World-Wide War and British Expansion 1793-1815 ; 10. Empire and Identity from the Glorious Revolution to the American Revolution ; 11. Knowledge and Empire ; 12. 'This Famous Island Set in a Virginian Sea': Ireland in the British Empire 1690-1801 ; 13. Growth and Mastery: British North America 1690-1748 ; 14. The American Colonies in War and Revolution 1748-1783 ; 15. Britain and the Reovlutionary Crisis 1763-1791 ; 16. Native Peoples of North America and the Eighteenth-Century British Empire ; 17. British North America ; 18. The Formation of Caribbean Plantation Society 1689-1748 ; 19. The British West Indies in the Age of Abolition 1748-1815 ; 20. The British Empire and the Atlantic Slave Trade 1660-1807 ; 21. The Black Experience in the British Empire 1680-1810 ; 22. The British in Asia: Trade to Dominion 1700-1765 ; 23. Indian Society and the Establishment of British Supremacy 1765-1818 ; 24. British India 1765-1813: The Metropolitan Context ; 25. The Pacific: Exploration and Exploitation ; 26. Britain without America; A Second Empire? ; Chronology; Index

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Book SynopsisThis book examines the long term economic growth that has raised the West''s material living standards to levels undreamed of by counterparts in any previous time or place. The authors argue that this growth has been driven by technological revolutions that have periodically transformed the West''s economic, social and political landscape over the last 10,000 years and allowed the West to become, until recently, the world''s only dominant technological force.Unique in the diversity of the analytical techniques used, the book begins with a discussion of the causes and consequences of economic growth and technological change. The authors argue that long term economic growth is largely driven by pervasive technologies now known as General Purpose (GPTs). They establish an alternative to the standard growth models that use an aggregate production function and then introduce the concept of GPTs, complete with a study of how these technologies have transformed the West since the Neolithic AgTable of ContentsForeword: The Canadian Institute for Advanced Research and this Book ; Preface: Why Another Book on Growth? ; Acknowledgements ; GROWTH, TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE AND GENERAL PURPOSE TECHNOLOGIES ; 1. Technology as Revolution ; 2. Two Views of Economic Processes ; 3. A Structuralist Evolutionary Decomposition ; 4. Technology and Technological Change ; 5. A Survey of GPTs in Western History: Part I 10,000 BC to 1450 AD ; 6. A Survey Of GPTs in Western History: Part II 1450 to 2010 ; THE TRANSITION TO SUSTAINED GROWTH ; 7. The Emergence of Sustained Extensive Growth in the West ; 8. Why Not Elsewhere? ; 9. Population Dynamics: Extensive and Intensive Growth Related ; 10. The Emergence of Sustained Intensive Growth in the West ; MODELLING SUSTAINED GPT-DRIVEN GROWTH ; 11. GPTs and Related Concepts in the Literature ; 12. Scale Economies in Economic Growth ; 13. Appreciative Theories of GPTs ; 14. Formal Models Of GPT-Driven Sustained Growth: The Base Line Model ; 15. Formal Models of GPT-Driven Sustained Growth: Extensions and Applications ; POLICY ; 16. Technology Enhancement Policy: Theory and Evidence ; 17. Assessing Technology Enhancement Policies

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Book SynopsisThis book examines the long term economic growth that has raised the West''s material living standards to levels undreamed of by counterparts in any previous time or place. The authors argue that this growth has been driven by technological revolutions that have periodically transformed the West''s economic, social and political landscape over the last 10,000 years and allowed the West to become, until recently, the world''s only dominant technological force. Unique in the diversity of the analytical techniques used, the book begins with a discussion of the causes and consequences of economic growth and technological change. The authors argue that long term economic growth is largely driven by pervasive technologies now known as General Purpose (GPTs). They establish an alternative to the standard growth models that use an aggregate production function and then introduce the concept of GPTs, complete with a study of how these technologies have transformed the West since the Neolithic ATable of ContentsForeword: The Canadian Institute for Advanced Research and this Book ; Preface: Why Another Book on Growth? ; Acknowledgements ; GROWTH, TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE AND GENERAL PURPOSE TECHNOLOGIES ; 1. Technology as Revolution ; 2. Two Views of Economic Processes ; 3. A Structuralist Evolutionary Decomposition ; 4. Technology and Technological Change ; 5. * A Survey of GPTs in Western History: Part I 10,000 BC to 1450 AD ; 6. A Survey Of GPTs in Western History: Part II 1450 to 2010 ; THE TRANSITION TO SUSTAINED GROWTH ; 7. The Emergence of Sustained Extensive Growth in the West ; 8. Why Not Elsewhere? ; 9. Population Dynamics: Extensive and Intensive Growth Related ; 10. The Emergence of Sustained Intensive Growth in the West ; MODELLING SUSTAINED GPT-DRIVEN GROWTH ; 11. * GPTs and Related Concepts in the Literature ; 12. Scale Economies in Economic Growth ; 13. : Appreciative Theories of GPTs ; 14. Formal Models Of GPT-Driven Sustained Growth: The Base Line Model ; 15. * Formal Models of GPT-Driven Sustained Growth: Extensions and Applications ; POLICY ; 16. Technology Enhancement Policy: Theory and Evidence ; 17. Assessing Technology Enhancement Policies

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Book SynopsisIn the early twentieth century, asbestos had a reputation as a lifesaver. In 1960, however, it became known that even relatively brief exposure to asbestos can cause mesothelioma, a virulent and lethal cancer. Yet the bulk of the world''s asbestos was mined after 1960. Asbestos usage in many countries continued unabated.This is the first global history of how the asbestos industry and its allies in government, insurance, and medicine defended the product throughout the twentieth century. It explains how mining and manufacture could continue despite overwhelming medical evidence as to the risks. The argument advanced in this book is that asbestos has proved so enduring because the industry was able to mount a successful defense strategy for the mineral - a strategy that still operates in some parts of the world. This defence involved the shaping of the public debate by censoring, and sometimes corrupting, scientific research, nurturing scientific uncertainty, and using allies in government, insurance, and medicine. The book also discusses the problems of asbestos in the environment, compensating victims, and the continued use of asbestos in the developing world. Its global focus shows how asbestos can be seen as a model for many occupational diseases - indeed for a whole range of hazards produced by industrial societies. The book is based on a wealth of documentary material gained from legal discovery, supplemented by evidence from the authors'' visits and researches in the US, the UK, Canada, Kazakhstan, Zimbabwe, Australia, Swaziland, and South Africa.Trade Review...Fascinating and thoughtful study of the asbestos industry...I found McCulloch and Tweedale's account a valuable addition to an already large literature. By globalizing the asbestos story, the authors reveal the tactics that have protected the industry for decades from sustained, intense criticism, and they clarify the challenges that remain in defending the victims whose lives have been irreparably damaged and in protecting us all from the threat of future injuries by this industry. * Marc J. Stern, Business History *Given all that has been written and said about asbestos over the past 30 years is there anything else worth knowing? Do we really need another book on asbestos? After reading Defending the Indefensible the emphatic answer I reached was yes. This book is a tour-de-force of informed and concerned scholarship. * Labour History *[A] compelling book. * The Lancet, Volume 373, Issue 9660 *An important and particularly essential addition to the existing literature on asbestos; its history, usage and controversial values of benefit and disaster...Splendidly presented and annotated... This is a brilliant text which answers many startling new questions and asks a good many more. * RoSPA Occupational Safety and Health Journal *Table of Contents1. Introduction ; 2. Making the World Safe ; 3. Building the Defences ; 4. The Challenge of Mesothelioma and Irving J. Selikoff ; 5. The Chrysotile Defence ; 6. Hiding the Elephant of Compensation ; 7. Don't Disturb the Dog: Asbestos in the Environment ; 8. Pushing Asbestos in the Developing World ; 9. Defending Asbestos: 21st Century Perspectives ; Sources and Acknowledgements

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Book SynopsisThis is a book about the discovery of macroeconomic ideas and concepts long before the term macroeconomics had been coined. The cast of authors varies from doctors and physicians (Sir William Petty and François Quesnay), to philosophers (David Hume and Adam Smith), to bankers (Richard Cantillon and Henry Thornton) to Prime Ministers of France (John Law and Anne Robert Jacques Turgot). These authors had very rich and varied careers and the book invites readers to imagine specific moments in their careers that influenced both their lives and their writings. Building on these events the contributions of each author are outlined and discussed. Examination of their writings show that by the start of the nineteenth century they had left a rich legacy of macroeconomics ranging from the analysis and measurement of national income, the depiction of the circular flow of income, the debate on the role of money in the economy, the way to model the economy, the importance of labour, land and capitaTable of Contents1. Introduction: The Genesis of Macroeconomics ; 2. Sir William Petty: National Income Accounting ; 3. John Law: A New Monetary System ; 4. Richard Cantillon: Macroeconomic Modelling ; 5. David Hume: The Classical Theory of Money ; 6. Francois Quesnay: The Circular Flow of Income ; 7. Anne Robert Jacques Turgot: The Importance of Capital ; 8. Adam Smith: Land, Labour, Capital and Social Cement ; 9. Henry Thornton: The Lender of Last Resort ; 10. Conclusion

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Book SynopsisEntrepreneurship has always been a key factor in economic growth, innovation, and the development of firms and businesses. More recently, new technologies, the waning of the ''old economy'', globalization, changing cultures and popular attitudes, and new policy stances have further highlighted the importance of entrepreneurship and enterprise. Entrepreneurship is now a dynamic and expanding area of research, teaching, and debate, but there has been no standard reference work which is suitable for both established scholars and new researchers. This book fills that gap. All the major aspects of entrepreneurship are covered, including: * the start-up and growth of firms, * financing and venture capital, * innovation, technology and marketing, * women entrepreneurs, * ethnic entrepreneurs, * migration, * small firm policy,* the economic and social history of entrepreneurship. This is a comprehensive review of state-of-the-art research in entrepreneurship, written by an international team oTrade Review...a valuable resource, not only for students but also for established researchers and educators seeking an entry-point to unfamiliar specialisms. * Entrepreneurship & Regional Development *Table of ContentsPART I: THEORY AND HISTORY; PART II: SMALL FIRMS; PART III: INNOVATION; PART IV: FINANCE; PART V: EMPLOYMENT, SELF-EMPLOYMENT AND BUY-OUTS; PART VI: SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ASPECTS; PART VII: SPATIAL AND INTERNATIONAL DIMENSIONS

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Book SynopsisThe financial humbling of a great power in any age demands explanation. In the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-14) Louis XIV''s France had to fight way beyond its borders and the costs of war rose to unprecedented heights. With royal income falling as economic activity slowed down, the widening gap between revenue and expenditure led the government into a series of desperate expedients. Ever-larger quantities of credit, often obtained through fairly novel and poorly-understood financial instruments, were combined with ill-advised monetary manipulations. Moreover, through poor ministerial management the system of earmarking revenues for spending descended into chaos. All this forced up the cost of loans, foreign exchange, and military logistics as government contractors and bankers built the mounting risks into the price of their contracts and sought to profit from the situation. There was already a problem with controlling royal contractors, who ran the entire financial machinery, but this only grew worse, not least because the government further indemnified and bailed out men deemed too essential to fail. In some cases entrepreneurs even managed to penetrate the corridors of the ministries, either as heads of royal agencies or even as junior ministers. This added up to nothing less than an early military-industrial complex. As state debt climbed to astronomical levels and financial instruments collapsed in value France''s chances of remaining the superpower of the age shrank. The military decline of a great power often goes hand-in-hand with its financial decline, but rarely so dramatically as in early eighteenth-century France.Trade Review... a clear, lucid and easily comprehensible description of how military finance operated in the largest unitary European state of the eighteenth century ... will make this book one of the standard works of reference for all historians of French and European finance and state formation. * Aaron Graham, French History. Volume 27, Issue 3. *In Guy Rowlands's scholarly and spirited new book, we dive into the underworld of French royal finance ... there can be few better guides to this underworld than Rowlands, who leads us to a deeply researched, thoroughly convincing explanation of the how and why of financial breakdown in this period. * Erik Goldner, H-France *A lexical analysis of Rowland's writing makes the grim reality of the story he tells plain. ... Ostensibly focused on the financing of the war of the Spanish succession, this book has many ramifications. * Michael Hawcroft, French Studies *this study provides a sure guide to a bureaucratic labyrinth and a convincing argument that the War of the Spanish Succession was even more of a disaster for France than has generally been believed. * Jotham Parsons, The Historian *this book fills a crucial gap in the literature. One can only admire the author's ability to piece together disparate elements to document and discuss a number of important, if complex, issues. It will remain a must-read for all interested in Louis XIV's finance and one of Europe's most important conflicts. * Joel Felix, The Economic History Review *Rowlands is meticulous and compelling in describing the gathering of the financial storm that hit France in the final years of Louis XIV's reign, and he employs a wealth of original material to document the interactions between the ministry and the officers of the royal treasury * Julian Swann, English Historical Review *Table of ContentsPART I: THE STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT OF WAR AND THE FINANCIAL CHAIN OF COMMAND ; PART II: RAISING MONEY, FINDING MONEY, MAKING MONEY: SOURCING REVENUE IN AN AGE OF CRISIS ; PART III: THE DEGENERATION OF MILITARY FUNDING AND THE RISING COSTS OF WAR

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Book SynopsisExplores the concept of improvement which took root in seventeenth-century England, the political and economic circumstances which led to its rise, the effect it had on the society and culture of England, and its subsequent outreach as the British Empire spread.Trade ReviewThe Invention of Improvement combines sophisticated synthesis of recent scholarship with extensive research on the printed literature of the period. It deftly weaves together macro-analysis of England's changing fortunes with illuminating vignettes of the activities of particular visionaries and the texts that enshrined their ambitions. * Alexandra Walsham, The Times Literary Supplement *This is a mature work of scholarship which describes and analyses the development of economic theory in the early modern period and its impact on economic and social policy in the time of Pepys. Thought provoking and readable, it raises fundamental issues of economic policy which are still relevant today. * Julian Amey, chair of the 2015 judging panel for the Samuel Pepys Award *The historical sweep of this book is in fact vast, from the Reformation of the Sixteenth Century through to the Enlightenment of the 1700s and beyond. Its subject encompasses the entire socio-economic development of that period. It is therefore a challenging book but also a very rewarding one. * Sue Nicholson, Pepys Diary *This book extends the chronological breadth and analytical depth of this research agenda and employs a novel analytical framework for interpreting it: the culture of improvement. * S. J. Thompson, Continuity and Change *Its conceptualization and massively detailed content deserve the highest praise ... Slack's magnum opus crowns a career in the field of early modern economic history of quite exceptional achievement. * Anthony Fletcher, History *this book offers the most detailed examination to date of the development of this concept in English print culture from c.1570 to c.1730 ... Slack's argument is informed by years of painstaking research and extraordinarily wide reading. * Brodie Waddell, English Historical Review *Table of ContentsList of illustrations ; Abbreviations and Conventions ; 1. Introduction: Varieties of Improvement ; 2. The Discovery of England ; 3. Elizabethan Foundations 1570-1640 ; 4. Revolutions 1640-1670 ; 5. Wealth and Happiness 1670-1690 ; 6. Challenges to Affluence 1690-1730 ; 7. England's Improvement ; 8. Conclusion ; Bibliography ; Index

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Book SynopsisThis book examines the rise and diffusion of free-market thinking, from the early 20th Century through to the age of Obama. It tracks the ascendency of neoliberalism, its key players, and decisive moments of reconstruction, including the Chicago School of Economics, New York City's bankruptcy, Hurricane Katrina, and the Wall Street crisis of 2008.Trade ReviewAs an economic geographer, Dr. Peck explores the relationship of knowledge production to space and place in the development of networks of neoliberal scholarship and policy advocacy.a must read. * Dipankar Sinha, Political Studies Review *Table of Contents1. Relocating Neoliberalism ; 2. Rebooting Freedom ; 3. Finding the Chicago School ; 4. Between Gotham and the Gulf ; 5. Creative Liberties ; 6. Decoding Obamanomics

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Book SynopsisGermany and the Holy Roman Empire offers a striking new interpretation of a crucial era in German and European history, from the great reforms of 1495-1500 to the dissolution of the Reich in 1806. Over two volumes, Joachim Whaley rejects the notion that this was a long period of decline, and shows instead how imperial institutions developed in response to the crises of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, notably the Reformation and Thirty Years War. The impact of international developments on the Reich is also examined.The first volume begins with an account of the reforms of the reign of Maximilian I and concludes with the Peace of Westphalia in 1648. It offers a new interpretation of the Reformation, the Peasants'' War, the Schmalkaldic War and the Peace of Augsburg, and of the post-Reformation development of Protestantism and Catholicism. The German policy successfully resisted the ambitions of Charles V and the repeated onslaughtsof both the Ottomans and the French, and it remTrade ReviewReview from previous edition scholars ... will concur in their debt to Whaley's magnum opus ... [it] stands apart as the most authoritative account of the early modern empire * C. Ingrao, CHOICE *a monumental history of the Holy Roman Empire which far surpasses everything that has been written about the subject to date. German history between the Reformation and Napoleon has never been written in such a lively, multi-faceted, source-based, and coherent manner. A history that embraces the whole of [German] culture, religion, economy and society * Süddeutsche Zeitung *Whaley sees the Reich as a continually reforming, diverse but legally ordered polity, rather than some kind of bizarre monstrosity or collective fiction. His two volumes are exceptionally well written and highly nuanced and reflect the latest scholarship. Indeed, they represent a huge personal achievement. They will provide a standard of scholarship against which all future works will be measured * Alan Sked, Reviews in History *...its complexity and sophistication, [the] stupendous breadth and depth of Whaley's knowledge. The two volumes are full of incisive chapters on topics as diverse as economic policies, religious reform movements, court culture ... skilfully crafted and engrossing narrative * Michael Schaich, Times Literary Supplement *superb and authoritative study * Peter Oborne, Daily Telegraph *Whaley's account is one of the best works on early modern German history. From the first page to the last, it shows how German history can be presented as both a history of Emperor and Empire, and a history of common culture. It will immediately establish itself as a standard guide to its subject. * Georg Schmidt, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena *Overall brilliantly successful ... a detailed account of two hundred years of German history ... In a thousand details the monograph is more knowledgeable that other English-language accounts of German history ... and in numerous respects it is more knowledgeable than many a German handbook ... Whaley demonstrates a stupendous knowledge of German history. The reviewer believes this book is the most important English-language work on pre-modern German history for at least two decades * Axel Gotthard, Sehepunkte *An enterprise of this magnitude requires a steady hand on the tiller, as the author steers between the rocks of historiographical controversy and the shoals of submerged detail. Whaley accomplishes his argosy with poise and style. These two volumes, which will undoubtedly become a first point of reference, are a remarkable achievement of which the author should feel justly proud * Tom Scott, English Historical Review *the most comprehensive survey of Germany's early modern history ever undertaken, the first book of its kind since the 1950s, and one of the most substantial works of historical scholarship published in the UK in 2011 * Research Horizons, University of Cambridge *His work, though different in emphasis and organisation, stands equal with the major German speaking syntheses today existing such as by Horst Rabe, Karl Otmar von Aretin, Heinz Schilling, or Georg Schmidt. His detailed knowledge of the vast relevant research literature, in German or in any other language, on topics ranging from the later fifteenth to the early nineteenth century is breath-taking. As such, this work is a must-read for all students of Early Modern Germany unless they work on specific issues of social and demographic history. The superior quality of Whaley's synthesis is beyond question. This is a masterpiece that demands close attention and respect. * Robert von Friedeburg, H-Soz-u-Kult online *an account whose methodological reflection, thematic range, and wealth of detail are unparalleled... these two volumes will quickly become standard works... their particular form, combining sections on historiography and methodology, structural history and the history of events, has no counterpart in the German-language historiography. * Stefan Ehrenpreis, German Historical Institute London Bulletin *...successfully combines an experts love of detail with a clear view of the large picture...[It] can be recommended without hesitation as a valuable handbook for history teachers, students and journalists... [and] anyone interested in the historical-political development of Germany in Europe. * Willi Eisele, AHF-Information *a work of impressive scholarship and considerable erudition ... These two volumes put the Empire firmly back into German history. They provide a richly detailed, judiciously balanced discussion of the last three centuries of the Empires existence ... Whaleys history is a must for anyone with a serious interest in early modern Germany. * Peter Wilson, Central European History *A full and fresh assessment of more than three hundred years of German history ... the best political and institutional history of the Reich in any language ... Whaley seems to have read and digested everything. For this astonishing achievement alone one must be grateful ... As a general treatment of three centuries of legal and institutional history Whaley's volume will stand as a monument of erudite revisionism that, within its self-imposed limits, could hardly be improved. * H. C. Erik Midelfort, The Sixteenth Century Journal Vol. XLIII No. 4 (2012), pp. 1225-7. *essential reading * Edward Bradbury, Contemporary Review *Joachim Whaley's magnificent new two-volume study ... sets out precisely wherein the Old Reichs distinctive character lay and enables us to appreciate the reasons why it held the loyalties of so many for so long ... The whole is presented with admirable lucidity, free of jargon ... Whaley's monumental and magisterial study will assuredly quickly become and deservedly long remain a standard authoritative handbook for anyone concerned with the subject * John L Flood, The Modern Language Review *Joachim Whaley's magnificent book gives readers the best, most persuasive available account in any language of the revisionist case. He turns the old view on its head ... He displays a remarkably wide-ranging knowledge of German culture during the three centuries covered by his book ... This is a bracing book of ideas and arguments, sustained over 125 chapters and almost 1,500 pages. It is both scholarly and very readable. * David Blackbourn, Common Knowledge *This monumental study ... rests on an impressive body of knowledge, not least on knowledge of the secondary literature ... the extraordinary readability of the two volumes ... makes this text an enjoyable read for specialists, students and enthusiasts from many different fields. * Laura Anna Macor, Historia Philosophica [translation] *Whaley negotiates a vast bibliography, which includes the history of institutions, to offer an excellent tool that is both a compass for orienting oneself among the various issues and itself a starting point. * Michaela Valente, Archivio Storico Italiana *One of the most impressive and helpful scholarly monographs of 2012... In this landmark study, Whaley provides a historical overview in which he evaluates narratives and interpretations, that are revealing about the thinking of the period but also in view of some modern views and theories. Chapter by chapter, he tests the validity of perceptions and the sense of identity Germans began to develop in the 16th century not least in opposition to wider European aspirations and claims. By questioning patterns of established thought Whaley manages time and again to add new insights to the interface of subject areas such as theology, politics, the economy and social issues... His study will be as useful to the established scholar as it is to the novice seeking to understand the influences and concerns that shaped the...Empire. * Ulrike Zitzlsperger, The Years Work in Modern Language Studies, lxxiv (2014) *These two-volumes ... are the fruit of long and thorough research and stand out for their many hundreds of pages of reader-friendly freshness. The external perspective of British scholarship has succeeded in producing a standard work on both German and European history. * Prof. Dr. Bernd Schneidmüller, University of Heidelberg [translation] *Joachim Whaley crowns a long generations work of demystifying the empires history with these two large, learned, and impressive volumes. * The Journal of Modern History *Whaleys two volumes mark an immense accomplishment and should be read by any scholar working on the early modern Empire or early modern politics in general. They represent the most comprehensive history of the Empire available in English and are sure to generate debate for decades to come. * Christopher Close, Archiv für Reformationsgeschichte 2013 literature *a massive and exceptionally successful project that offers a comprehensive view of the Holy Roman Empire ... From the point of view of Austrian history, the author is constantly concerned to reflect critically on the relationship of the [Habsburgs'] German hereditary lands, as well as Hungary and Bohemia to the Empire. The volume is encyclopaedic in scope ... the author demonstrates great breadth and expertise in pursuing his themes of political, cultural, constitutional and social history ... In view of its balanced approach and profundity the volume will occupy an unchallenged place in the libraries of scholars next to the work of Aretin and the major handbooks of German and European history ... This work is also exceptionally well written and it represents an awesome achievement on the part of the author * Martin Scheutz, Mitteilingen des Instituts für Österreichische Geschichtsforschung 2014 [translation] *a recognised authority in the field stupendous and enviable knowledge of the scholarly literature [offers] a counterpoint to the decline narratives [of the empire] that still dominate [German historiography] * Gabriele Haug-Moritz, Zeitschrift fuer Historische Forschung *There is no similar comprehensive and multi-perspectival account [of early modern German history] ... the publication of these volumes is an event for German historians too ... With its encyclopaedic aspiration, the mass of information he offers concerning political, legal, religious-intellectual, administrative, educational and economic developments, as well as the numerous perceptive judgements which correct previous research, Whaley has produced a standard work on the history of the early modern Old Reich, which stands on its own in the international scholarship on this subject ... He has produced a thoroughly scholarly and intelligent work that combines a wealth of information with an ability to formulate original arguments and revise received scholarly opinions. * Christoph Kampmann, Historische Zeitschrift *These two volumes offer an historical survey of roughly three centuries such as I have never before encountered. Joachim Whaley has produced a masterpiece. He has not overlooked anything at all. The two volumes are perfectly researched and the price ... is more than reasonable. Anyone interested in modern history and in particular the history of Germany must read this work. * Fachbuchkritik [review of German edition] *a pleasure to read ... Whaley shows how the efforts to create an intellectual and political framework in the pre-constitutional era had lasting effects to the present. * Joachim Frank, Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger [review of German edition] *a great achievement that he has introduced the English-speaking public to German history before the twentieth century in such a comprehensive manner and that he shows so decisively how the old national narrative has been revised. The sheer volume of the material that he employs also commands respect. * Barbara Stollberg-Rilinger, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung [review of German edition] *The new standard work on the period in which people still spoke of "German liberties". * Jens Jessen, Die Zeit [review of German edition] *Joachim Whaley's two volumes on the Holy Roman Empire constitute what is undoubtedly the best work on the topic currently available on the European market ... Whaley surpasses all [others] ... He thus overcomes the prevalent tendency of writing the history of the Empire in separate political, constitutional, religious and economic terms ... he displays an astonishing eye for detail ... No other piece of scholarship can match the attention to detail paid to such a wide variety of different aspects of the history of the Holy Roman Empire as can be found in Whaley's magnum opus. Whaley stands out, as his predecessors in writing the history of the Empire had primarily concentrated on political history alone. * Michael North, German History *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Narratives of Early Modern German History ; I. GERMANY AND THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE IN 1500 ; 1. Origins and Frontiers ; 2. The Reich as a Polity ; 3. Fragmented Territories ; 4. The Reich and the German Nation ; II. THE REFORM OF THE REICH AND THE CHURCH C. 1490-1519 ; 5. The Reformation Era in German history ; 6. The Reich under Maximilian I ; 7. Reich, Papacy, and Reichskirche ; 8. Religious Renewal and the Laity ; 9. Humanism in the Reich ; 10. The 'Print Revolution' and the Public Sphere ; 11. Economic Landscapes, Communities, and their Grievances ; 12. Martin Luther and the 'Luther affair' 1517-1519 ; III. CHARLES V AND THE CHALLENGE OF THE REFORMATION IN THE 1520S ; 13. The Reich During the First Decade of Charles V ; 14. Luther and Imperial Politics, 1519-1526 ; 15. Luther and the German Reform Movement ; 16. Alternative Reformations and the Dominance of Lutheranism ; 17. The Knights' War, 1522-1523 ; 18. The Peasants' War, 1525 ; 19. Reformation in the Cities ; IV. MASTERING THE REFORMATION C. 1526-1555 ; 20. The Emergence of Protestant Territories ; 21. The Persistence of Catholicism ; 22. Charles V, Ferdinand, and the Reich in Europe ; 23. The Establishment of Protestantism, 1526-1530 ; 24. The Schmalkaldic League, its Counterparts, and the Politics of the Reich, 1530-1541 ; 25. Charles V as 'Lord of Germany', 1541-1548 ; 26. The Triumph of the Reich, 1548-1555 ; V. MANAGING THE PEACE 1555-1618 ; 27. Contours of the 'Confessional Age' ; 28. Emperors, Imperial Officials, and Estates after the Peace of Augsburg ; 29. Constitutional developments after 1555: Reichstag, Kreise, Courts, and Legislation ; 30. The Reich in Europe ; 31. Managing the Domestic Peace, 1555-c.1585 ; 32. The Consensus Falters, c. 1585-1603 ; 33. Paralysis, 1603-1614 ; 34. Problems of the Habsburg Dynasty ; 35. The Reich in the Reign of Emperor Matthias, 1612-1619 ; 36. The Crisis of the Habsburg lands ; 37. Imperial Public Law and the Struggle over the Imperial Constitution ; 38. Irenicism and Patriotism on the Eve of War ; VII. THE GERMAN TERRITORIES AND CITIES AFTER 1555 ; 39. Problems of Interpretation ; 40. A Benign Environment? ; 41. State Formation? ; 42. Domestic Order and Defence ; 43. Confessionalization? ; 44. Finance, Taxation, and Estates ; 45. The Resurgence of the Courts ; 46. The Imperial Cities ; 47. Responding to Crises ; VII. THE THIRTY YEARS WAR 1618-1648 ; 48. The Thirty Years War in German History ; 49. What Kind of Conflict? ; 50. The Reconquest of Austria and Bohemia, 1618-1623 ; 51. Ferdinand Victorious ; 52. Denmark and the War for the Reich, 1623-1629 ; 53. What Kind of Reich? Sweden and the Defence of German Liberties, 1630-1635 ; 54. Wallenstein and After ; 55. France, Sweden, and the German Way, 1635-1648 ; 56. The Peace of Westphalia ; 57. The Impact of the War on German Society ; 58. The Thirty Years War and the German Polity ; Glossary ; Bibliography ; Index

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Book SynopsisGermany and the Holy Roman Empire offers a striking new interpretation of a crucial era in German and European history, from the great reforms of 1495-1500 to the dissolution of the Reich in 1806. Over two volumes, Joachim Whaley rejects the notion that this was a long period of decline, and shows instead how imperial institutions developed in response to the crises of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, notably the Reformation and Thirty Years War. The impact of international developments on the Reich is also examined.Volume II begins with the Peace of Westphalia and concludes with the dissolution of the Reich. Whaley analyses the remarkable resurgence of the Reich after the Thirty Years War, which saw the Habsburg emperors achieve a new position of power and influence and which enabled the Reich to withstand the military threats posed by France and the Turks in the later seventeenth century. He gives a rich account of topics such as Pietism and baroque Catholicism, the German enTrade ReviewReview from previous edition: Whaley sees the Reich as a continually reforming, diverse but legally ordered polity, rather than some kind of bizarre monstrosity or collective fiction. His two volumes are exceptionally well written and highly nuanced and reflect the latest scholarship. Indeed, they represent a huge personal achievementthey will provide a standard of scholarship against which all future works will be measured * Alan Sked, Reviews in History *its complexity and sophistication [...the] stupendous breadth and depth of Whaley's knowledge. The two volumes are full of incisive chapters on topics as diverse as economic policies, religious reform movements, court culture ... skilfully crafted and engrossing narrative * Michael Schaich, Times Literary Supplement *superb and authoritative study * Peter Oborne, Daily Telegraph *Whaley's account is one of the best works on early modern German history. From the first page to the last, it shows how German history can be presented as both a history of Emperor and Empire, and a history of common culture. It will immediately establish itself as a standard guide to its subject * Georg Schmidt, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena *[Whaley's] skilfully crafted and engrossing narrative shows with great lucidity how enduring and successful were the constitutional structures put in place around 1500 * Times Literary Supplement *the most comprehensive survey of Germany's early modern history ever undertaken, the first book of its kind since the 1950s, and one of the most substantial works of historical scholarship published in the UK in 2011 * Research Horizons, University of Cambridge *An enterprise of this magnitude requires a steady hand on the tiller, as the author steers between the rocks of historiographical controversy and the shoals of submerged detail Whaley accomplishes his argosy with poise and style. These two volumes, which will undoubtedly become a first point of reference, are a remarkable achievement of which the author should feel justly proud * Tom Scott, English Historical Review *His work, though different in emphasis and organisation, stands equal with the major German speaking syntheses today existing such as by Horst Rabe, Karl Otmar von Aretin, Heinz Schilling, or Georg Schmidt. His detailed knowledge of the vast relevant research literature, in German or in any other language, on topics ranging from the later fifteenth to the early nineteenth century is breath-taking. As such, this work is a must-read for all students of Early Modern Germany unless they work on specific issues of social and demographic history. The superior quality of Whaley's synthesis is beyond question. This is a masterpiece that demands close attention and respect. * Robert von Friedeburg, H-Soz-u-Kult online *an account whose methodological reflection, thematic range, and wealth of detail are unparalleled... these two volumes will quickly become standard works... their particular form, combining sections on historiography and methodology, structural history and the history of events, has no counterpart in the German-language historiography. * Stefan Ehrenpreis, German Historical Institute London Bulletin *...successfully combines an experts love of detail with a clear view of the large picture...[It] can be recommended without hesitation as a valuable handbook for history teachers, students and journalists... [and] anyone interested in the historical-political development of Germany in Europe. * Willi Eisele, AHF-Information *a work of impressive scholarship and considerable erudition ... These two volumes put the Empire firmly back into German history. They provide a richly detailed, judiciously balanced discussion of the last three centuries of the Empires existence ... Whaleys history is a must for anyone with a serious interest in early modern Germany. * Peter Wilson, Central European History *A full and fresh assessment of more than three hundred years of German history ... the best political and institutional history of the Reich in any language ... Whaley seems to have read and digested everything. For this astonishing achievement alone one must be grateful ... As a general treatment of three centuries of legal and institutional history Whaley's volume will stand as a monument of erudite revisionism that, within its self-imposed limits, could hardly be improved. * H. C. Erik Midelfort, The Sixteenth Century Journal Vol. XLIII No. 4 (2012), pp. 1225-7. *These two volumes offer an historical survey of roughly three centuries such as I have never before encountered. Joachim Whaley has produced a masterpiece. He has not overlooked anything at all. The two volumes are perfectly researched and the price ... is more than reasonable. Anyone interested in modern history and in particular the history of Germany must read this work. * Fachbuchkritik [review of German edition] *a pleasure to read ... Whaley shows how the efforts to create an intellectual and political framework in the pre-constitutional era had lasting effects to the present. * Joachim Frank, Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger [review of German edition] *a great achievement that he has introduced the English-speaking public to German history before the twentieth century in such a comprehensive manner and that he shows so decisively how the old national narrative has been revised. The sheer volume of the material that he employs also commands respect. * Barbara Stollberg-Rilinger, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung [review of German edition] *The new standard work on the period in which people still spoke of "German liberties". * Jens Jessen, Die Zeit [review of German edition] *essential reading * Edward Bradbury, Contemporary Review *Joachim Whaley's magnificent new two-volume study ... sets out precisely wherein the Old Reichs distinctive character lay and enables us to appreciate the reasons why it held the loyalties of so many for so long ... The whole is presented with admirable lucidity, free of jargon ... Whaley's monumental and magisterial study will assuredly quickly become and deservedly long remain a standard authoritative handbook for anyone concerned with the subject. * John L Flood, The Modern Language Review *Joachim Whaley's magnificent book gives readers the best, most persuasive available account in any language of the revisionist case. He turns the old view on its head ... He displays a remarkably wide-ranging knowledge of German culture during the three centuries covered by his book ... This is a bracing book of ideas and arguments, sustained over 125 chapters and almost 1,500 pages. It is both scholarly and very readable. * David Blackbourn, Common Knowledge *This monumental study ... rests on an impressive body of knowledge, not least on knowledge of the secondary literature ... the extraordinary readability of the two volumes ... makes this text an enjoyable read for specialists, students and enthusiasts from many different fields. * Laura Anna Macor, Historia Philosophica [translation] *Whaley negotiates a vast bibliography, which includes the history of institutions, to offer an excellent tool that is both a compass for orienting oneself among the various issues and itself a starting point. * Michaela Valente, Archivio Storico Italiana *One of the most impressive and helpful scholarly monographs of 2012... In this landmark study, Whaley provides a historical overview in which he evaluates narratives and interpretations, that are revealing about the thinking of the period but also in view of some modern views and theories. Chapter by chapter, he tests the validity of perceptions and the sense of identity Germans began to develop in the 16th century not least in opposition to wider European aspirations and claims. By questioning patterns of established thought Whaley manages time and again to add new insights to the interface of subject areas such as theology, politics, the economy and social issues... His study will be as useful to the established scholar as it is to the novice seeking to understand the influences and concerns that shaped the...Empire. * Ulrike Zitzlsperger, The Years Work in Modern Language Studies, lxxiv (2014) *These two-volumes ... are the fruit of long and thorough research and stand out for their many hundreds of pages of reader-friendly freshness. The external perspective of British scholarship has succeeded in producing a standard work on both German and European history. * Prof. Dr. Bernd Schneidmüller, University of Heidelberg [translation] *Joachim Whaley crowns a long generations work of demystifying the empires history with these two large, learned, and impressive volumes. * The Journal of Modern History *Whaleys two volumes mark an immense accomplishment and should be read by any scholar working on the early modern Empire or early modern politics in general. They represent the most comprehensive history of the Empire available in English and are sure to generate debate for decades to come. * Christopher Close, Archiv für Reformationsgeschichte 2013 literature *Whaley's two volumes mark an immense accomplishment and should be read by any scholar working on the early modern Empire or early modern politics in general. They represent the most comprehensive history of the Empire available in English and are sure to genereate debate for decades to come. * Archiv fuer Reformationsgeschichte *a massive and exceptionally successful project that offers a comprehensive view of the Holy Roman Empire ... From the point of view of Austrian history, the author is constantly concerned to reflect critically on the relationship of the [Habsburgs'] German hereditary lands, as well as Hungary and Bohemia to the Empire. The volume is encyclopaedic in scope ... the author demonstrates great breadth and expertise in pursuing his themes of political, cultural, constitutional and social history ... In view of its balanced approach and profundity the volume will occupy an unchallenged place in the libraries of scholars next to the work of Aretin and the major handbooks of German and European history ... This work is also exceptionally well written and it represents an awesome achievement on the part of the author * Martin Scheutz, Mitteilingen des Instituts für Österreichische Geschichtsforschung 2014 [translation] *a recognised authority in the field stupendous and enviable knowledge of the scholarly literature [offers] a counterpoint to the decline narratives [of the empire] that still dominate [German historiography] * Gabriele Haug-Moritz, Zeitschrift fuer Historische Forschung *There is no similar comprehensive and multi-perspectival account [of early modern German history] ... the publication of these volumes is an event for German historians too ... With its encyclopaedic aspiration, the mass of information he offers concerning political, legal, religious-intellectual, administrative, educational and economic developments, as well as the numerous perceptive judgements which correct previous research, Whaley has produced a standard work on the history of the early modern Old Reich, which stands on its own in the international scholarship on this subject ... He has produced a thoroughly scholarly and intelligent work that combines a wealth of information with an ability to formulate original arguments and revise received scholarly opinions. * Christoph Kampmann, Historische Zeitschrift *Joachim Whaley's two volumes on the Holy Roman Empire constitute what is undoubtedly the best work on the topic currently available on the European market ... Whaley surpasses all [others] ... He thus overcomes the prevalent tendency of writing the history of the Empire in separate political, constitutional, religious and economic terms ... he displays an astonishing eye for detail ... No other piece of scholarship can match the attention to detail paid to such a wide variety of different aspects of the history of the Holy Roman Empire as can be found in Whaley's magnum opus. Whaley stands out, as his predecessors in writing the history of the Empire had primarily concentrated on political history alone. * Michael North, German History *Table of ContentsPreface to Volume II ; I. RECONSTRUCTION AND RESURGENCE 1648-1705: THE REICH UNDER FERDINAND III AND LEOPOLD I ; 1. Historians and the Reich after the Thirty Years War ; 2. The Last Years of Ferdinand III: Western Leagues and Northern Wars ; 3. From Ferdinand III to Leopold I ; 4. Leopold I and his Foreign Enemies ; 5. A New Turkish Threat ; 6. Renewed Conflict with France ; 7. The Emperor, the Perpetual Reichstag, the Kreise, and Imperial Justice ; 8. Imperial Networks: the Reichskirche and the Imperial Cities ; 9. The Imperial Court at Vienna and Dynastic Elevations in the Reich ; 10. The Nature of the Reich: Projects and Culture ; 11. Interpretations of the Leopoldine Reic ; II. CONSOLIDATION AND CRISIS 1705-1740: THE REICH UNDER JOSEPH I AND CHARLES VI ; 12. Two Wars and Three Emperors ; 13. Leopold I, Joseph I, and the War of Spanish Succession ; 14. Joseph I and the Government of the Reich ; 15. Charles VI: Fruition or Decline? ; 16. Conflicting Priorities: c.1714 - c.1730 ; 17. Charles VI and the Government of the Reich ; 18. The Return of Confessional Politics? ; 19. The Problem of the Austrian Succession ; 20. The Ebb of Imperial Power 1733-1740? ; 21. The Reich in Print ; III. THE GERMAN TERRITORIES, C. 1648-C.1740 ; 22. An Age of Absolutism? ; 23. Contemporary Perceptions: From Reconstruction to Early Enlightenment ; 24. The Smaller Territories ; 25. Austria and Brandenburg-Prussia ; 26. The Revival of the Court and the Development of Territorial Government ; 27. The Court: its Culture, its Functions, and its Critics ; 28. The Development of Military Power ; 29. Princes and Estates ; 30. An Oppressed Peasantry? ; 31. Government and Society ; 32. Government and Economic Development ; 33. Public and Private Enterprise ; 34. Christian Polities: Baroque Catholicism ; 35. Christian Polities: the Territories of the Reichskirche ; 36. Christian Polities: Protestant Orthodoxy and Renewal ; 37. From Coexistence to Toleration? ; 38. Enlightenment and Patriotism ; IV. DECLINE OR MATURITY? THE REICH FROM CHARLES VII TO LEOPOLD II, C. 1740-1792 ; 39. Three Emperors and a King ; 40. Silesian Wars, 1740-1763 ; 41. Managing the Reich without the Habsburgs: Charles VII (1742-45) ; 42. The Return of the Habsburgs: Francis I (1745-1765) ; 43. The Reich without Enemies? Germany and Europe 1763-1792 ; 44. Renewal: Joseph II 1765-c.1776 ; 45. The Great Reform Debate: Joseph II c. 1778-1790 ; 46. Restoration: Leopold II 1790-92 ; 47. Central and Intermediate Institutions of the Reich ; 48. The Reich, the Public Sphere, and the Nation ; V. THE GERMAN TERRITORIES AFTER C. 1760 ; 49. Enlightenment and the Problem of Reform ; 50. Crisis and Opportunity ; 51. The Challenge of the Enlightenment and the Public Sphere ; 52. Protestant, Catholic and Jewish Aufklarung ; 53. Aufklarung and Government ; 54. Cameralism, Physiocracy, and the Provisioning of Society ; 55. Economic Policy: Manufactures, Guilds, Welfare, and Taxation ; 56. Administration, Law, and Justice ; 57. Education and Toleration ; 58. Courts and Culture ; 59. The Impact of Reform: Immunity against Revolution? ; VI. WAR AND DISSOLUTION: THE REICH 1792-1806 ; 60. Ruptures and Continuities ; 61. The Reich in the Revolutionary Wars ; 62. Reverberations of the French Revolution: Unrest and Uprisings ; 63. Reverberations of the French Revolution: Intellectuals ; 64. Schemes for the Reform of the Reich in the 1790s ; 65. The Peace of Luneville (1801) and the Reichsdeputationshauptschluss (1803) ; 66. The Transformation of the Reich 1803-05 ; 67. Final Attempts at Reform and the Dissolution of the Reich 1806 ; Conclusion ; Glossary ; Bibliography ; Index

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Book SynopsisThe world dollar standard is an accident of history that greatly facilitates international trade and exchange-even trade not directly involving the United States. Since 1945, the dollar has been the key currency for clearing international payments among banks including interventions by governments to set exchange rates, the dominant currency for invoicing trade in primary commodities, and the principal currency in official exchange reserves. Although the strong network effects of the dollar standard greatly increases the financial efficiency of multilateral trade, nobody loves it. Erratic U.S. monetary and exchange rate policies have continually made foreigners unhappy. A weak and falling dollar led to the worldwide price inflations of the 1970s and contributed to the disastrous asset bubbles and global credit crisis of the noughties -- including the global credit crunch of 2008-09. Dollar weakness aggravated the postwar world''s three great oil shocks in 1973, 1979, and 2007-08. AfterTrade ReviewRonald McKinnon is a seminal figure in the development of modern international monetary economics, but also an iconoclast with a distinctive view. This book is as good a summary statement as any of 'McKinnonomics.' Well worth reading as always. * Barry Eichengreen, George C. Pardee & Helen N. Pardee Professor of Economics and Political Science, University of California, Berkeley *Table of Contents1. Introduction: The Unloved Dollar Standard ; I. The International Money Machine ; 2. The Dollar's Facilitating Role as International Money Today ; 3. The Dollar as a Worldwide Nominal Anchor: The Federal Reserve's Insular Monetary Policy ; from 1945 to the late 1960s ; 4. The Slipping Anchor 1971 to 2008: The Nixon, Carter, and Greenspan Shocks ; 5. The Bernanke Shock 2008?12: Interest Differentials, Carry Trades, and Hot Money Flows ; II. Trade Imbalances ; 6. The United States' Saving Deficiency, Current Account Deficits, and De-Industrialization ; 7. Exchange Rates and Trade Balances under the Dollar Standard (Helen Qiao) ; 8. Why Exchange Rates Changes Need Not Correct Global Trade Imbalances ; 9. The Transfer Problem in Reducing the U.S. Current Account Deficit ; III. China: Adjusting to the Dollar Standard ; 10. High Wage Growth under Stable Dollar Exchange Rates: Japan 1950-1971, and ; China 1994-2011. ; 11. Currency Mismatches on the Dollar's Periphery: Why China as an Immature ; Creditor Cannot Float Its Exchange Rate ; 12. China and Its Dollar Exchange Rate: A Worldwide Stabilizing Influence? (with ; Gunther Schnabl) ; IV. International Monetary Reform ; 13. Rehabilitating the Dollar Standard and the Role of China

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Book SynopsisAfter 1688, Britain underwent a revolution in public finance, and the cost of borrowing declined sharply. Leading scholars have argued that easier credit for the government, made possible by better property-rights protection, lead to a rapid expansion of private credit. The Industrial Revolution, according to this view, is the result of the preceding revolution in public finance.In Prometheus Shackled, prominent economic historians Peter Temin and Hans-Joachim Voth examine this hypothesis using new, detailed archival data from 18th century banks. They conclude the opposite: the financial revolution led to an explosion of public debt, but it stifled private credit. This led to markedly slower growth in the English economy. Temin and Voth collected detailed data from several goldsmith banks-Child''s, Gosling''s, Freame and Gould, Hoare''s, and Duncombe and Kent. The excellent records from Hoare''s, founded by Sir Richard Hoare in 1672, offer particular insight.Numerous entrants into the Trade ReviewA major contribution to economic history, business history, social history, and economics, Prometheus Shackled resolves a great enigma about the Industrial Revolution by explaining why economic growth was so slow despite massive technical change. * Philip T. Hoffman, California Institute of Technology *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments ; Introduction ; Chapter 1 - Earning and Spending in Eighteenth-century London ; Chapter 2 - The Financial Revolution ; Chapter 3 - Goldsmith Banks ; Chapter 4 - Borrowers, Investors and Usury Laws ; Chapter 5 - The South Sea Bubble ; Chapter 6 - The Triumph of Boring Banking ; Chapter 7 - Finance and Slow Growth During the Industrial Revolution ; Chapter 8 - Conclusions ; Notes ; References ; Index

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Book SynopsisThis book explores the relationships between European integration and material infrastructures. Taking transnational infrastructures as the focal point of study, the book focuses on the various forms of mediation between the material, institutional and discursive levels of European integration and fragmentation in a truly transnational perspective.Trade Review'As someone not well versed in the history of technology I found this book a useful adjunct to the politically and economically inclined studies that dominate the contemporary literature.' - European History QuarterlyTable of ContentsIntroduction: Europe Materializing? Toward a Transnational History of European Infrastructures; A.Badenoch & A.Fickers PART I: QUESTIONING THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN INFRASTRUCTURES AND EUROPE Detours around Africa: The Connection between Developing Colonies and Integrating Europe; D.van Laak Biography 1: The Oliven Plan: the Long Life of Non-existent Network; V.Lagendijk Myths of the European network: Constructions of Cohesion in Infrastructure Maps; A.Badenoch Biography 2: David Mitrany and Ernst Haas: Theorising a United Europe; W.Zaidi Transnational Infrastructures and the Origins of European Integration; J.Schot PART II: MEDIATING EUROPE: MOVING THINGS, BUILDING SYSTEMS Universalism or Regionalism? The Work of the Advisory and Technical Committee for Communications and Transit of the League of Nations; F.Schipper , V.Lagendijk & I.Anastasiadou Biography 3: Louis Armand – between United Atoms and Common Railways; C.Henrich-Franke Feeding the Peoples of Europe: Transport Infrastructures and the Building of Transnational Cooling Chains in the Early Cold War, 1947-1960; E.van der Vleuten Biography 4: Mobilizing Europe's Capital; F.Schipper Eurocheque: Creating a 'common currency'. European Infrastructures for the Cashless Mass Payments System; B.Bonhage Biography 5: Georges Valensi, Europe Calling?; L.Laborie Off the Leash. The European Mobile Phone Standard (GSM) as a Transnational Telecommunications Infrastructure; P.Kammerer PART III: EUROPE BETWEEN PROJECTS AND PROJECTIONS Eventing Europe: Broadcasting and the Mediated Performances of Europe; A.Fickers & S.Lommers Biography 6: The Radio Station Scale: a Materialized European Event; A.Fickers From Sea to Shining Sea: Making Ends Meet on European Rivers; C.Disco Biography 7: Peaceful Atom: the Brief Career of a Symbol of Cooperation and Prosperity; D.van Lente European Civil Aviation in an Era of Hegemonic Nationalism: Infrastructure, Air Mobility, and European Identity Formation, 1919-1933; E.Kranakis

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Book SynopsisForeword Introduction PART I: INTRODUCTION 1. The Classes of Income 2. The Classes of Wealth 3. The Meaning of Money 4. Capital and Income 5. Consumption and Investment 6. The Meaning of Equilibrium PART II: ACCUMULATION IN THE LONG RUN 7. ASimple Model 8. Section I - Accumulation with One Technique 9. Accumulation with Constant Technique 10. Technical Progress 11. Section II - The Technical Frontier 12. The Spectrum of Techniques 13. The Evaluation of Capital 14. The Technical Frontier in a Golden Age 15. Productivity and the Real Capital Ratio 16. Accumulation without Inventions 17. A Surplus of Labour 18. Section III - Accumulation and Technical Progress 19. Accumulation with Neutral Technical Progress 20. Accumulation with Biased Progress 21. Synopsis of the Theory of Accumulation in the Long Run PART III: THE SHORT PERIOD 22. Prices and Profits 23. Wages and Prices 24. Fluctuations in the Rate of Investment 25. Cycles and Trends PART IV: FINANCE 26. Money and Finance 27. The RatesTrade Review'Classics are classics for a reason. Classics show us that when we flatter ourselves into thinking we have clear title to the ideas we advance, they are really just borrowed from a more eloquent past. Robinson's The Accumulation of Capital shows how difficult it is in economics today to say something that is both new and profound. Her blend of theory and realism is what we all strive for in parsing modern economic problems. Her criticisms of the orthodoxy were enormously productive in that economic methodologies have blossomed to account for inadequacies she pointed out in the equilibrium approach. To Robinson and The Accumulation of Capital we are all deeply indebted, whether we realize it or not.' Bill Gibson, John Converse Professor of Economics, University of Vermont, USA 'Joan Robinson's most difficult and ambitious book still constitutes a formidable challenge to contemporary theory. Her search for the fundamental but simple principles which underlie the process of growth in a classical Marxian-Kaleckian-Keynesian setting contrasts sharply with the logic and the language of current growth models. Her extraordinary command of logic allowed her to dispense with mathematics, with no loss of clarity and insights. The new Introduction by two leading Robinson scholars provides the thread leading through the labyrinth of case studies and changes in assumptions. It will certainly attract fresh readers to her book, and also lure back those already acquainted with it.' Maria Cristina Marcuzzo, Professor of Economics, Sapienza, University of Rome, ItalyTable of ContentsForeword Introduction PART I: INTRODUCTION 1. The Classes of Income 2. The Classes of Wealth 3. The Meaning of Money 4. Capital and Income 5. Consumption and Investment 6. The Meaning of Equilibrium PART II: ACCUMULATION IN THE LONG RUN 7. ASimple Model 8. Section I - Accumulation with One Technique 9. Accumulation with Constant Technique 10. Technical Progress 11. Section II - The Technical Frontier 12. The Spectrum of Techniques 13. The Evaluation of Capital 14. The Technical Frontier in a Golden Age 15. Productivity and the Real Capital Ratio 16. Accumulation without Inventions 17. A Surplus of Labour 18. Section III - Accumulation and Technical Progress 19. Accumulation with Neutral Technical Progress 20. Accumulation with Biased Progress 21. Synopsis of the Theory of Accumulation in the Long Run PART III: THE SHORT PERIOD 22. Prices and Profits 23. Wages and Prices 24. Fluctuations in the Rate of Investment 25. Cycles and Trends PART IV: FINANCE 26. Money and Finance 27. The Rates of Interest PART V: THE RENTIER 28. Consumption of Profits 29. Consumption and Accumulation in the Long Run 30. Rentiers and the Trade Cycle 31. Rentiers and Finance PART VI: LAND 32. Land and Labour 33. Factor Ratios and Techniques. A Digression 34. Land and Accumulation 35. Land, Labour and Accumulation 36. Increasing and Diminishing Returns PART VII: RELATIVE PRICES 37. Supply and Demand PART VIII: International Trade 38. External Investment 39. International Investment NOTES ON VARIOUS TOPICS 40. Postscript 41. The Value of Invested Capital

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Book SynopsisEurope's infrastructure both united and divided peoples and places via economic systems, crises, and wars. Europe's Infrastructure Transition reframes the conflicted story of modern European history by taking material networks as its point of departure.Trade Review“In Europe’s Infrastructure Transition, Högselius, Kaijser, and van der Vleuten have done an impressive job tracing the symbiotic relations between transportation and communication systems, between system-building and border-building, and between technocracy and nature. The writing is highly readable and the arguments compelling. … This book will therefore likely appeal to academic and non-academic readers alike, and is quite suitable for collegiate classroom use. … this is a thoughtful, engaging, and important book.” (Nicholas Ostrum, CritCom, councilforeuropeanstudies.org, June, 2016)Table of Contents1. Manipulating Space and Time. - 2. Fueling Europe. - 3. Networked Food Economy. - 4. Factory and Finance. - 5. Logistics of War. - 6. Linking Land. - 7. Troubled Waters. - 8. Common Skies

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"A brilliant reinterpretation of how experts' aspirations to realise the potentials of their technology flowed across borders to recreate the meaning of a continent." - Robert Bud, Keeper of Science and Medicine, The Science Museum, London, UK "A complex process of building Europe has found two authors who are most qualified experts themselves in tracing the rise of expert cultures. Kohlrausch's and Trischler's story of the making of Europe through technology is essential reading for historians of Europe. They throw fresh light on the formation of the European knowledge societies always keeping the political and social dimensions in mind. Readers may follow the experts, from the mid-nineteenth century watershed of the Great Exhibition in 1951 to the late-twentieth century CERN. On the way, the historians reveal the hidden integration of Europe through transnational circulation of knowledge. Theirs is not a simple story of progressive minds and peaceful developments but one in which nationalism and internationalism, competition and cooperation, and total war, authoritarian rule and democracy are inextricably intertwined." - Professor Johannes Paulmann, Director of the Leibniz Institute of European History, Germany "An outstanding survey of the role of scientific and technological experts in the construction and reconstruction of Europe in the Long Twentieth Century. Through case studies and illustrative examples drawn from a wide range of countries, east and west, the authors skilfully trace the gradual emergence of a trained technical elite tasked with modernizing the nation state, their growing capacity to engineer social systems, seen at its most grotesque in Nazi Germany, and their post-war engagement in the establishment of scientific and technological institutions in the nuclear and space sectors that, notwithstanding false starts and disappointments, serve to exemplify the political will and industrial strength of Europe in the 21st Century. At last we have a much-needed complement to the vast literature on the political and economic integration of Europe that generally ignores the 'hidden integration' undertaken by transnational experts who have built the region's scientific and technological base, and whose achievements have inspired the Lisbon Treaty's vision of a knowledge based economy. Essential reading for historians, political scientists and policy makers." - Professor John Krige, Kranzberg Professor and Director of Graduate Studies, Georgia Institute of Technology, USATable of ContentsIntroduction. - PART I: CULTIVATING EXPERTS, ORDERING KNOWLEDGE. - 1. Educating Experts. - 2. Technical Experts as New National Elites. - 3. Architectures of Knowledge. - PART II: ENDANGERED EXPERTS, NEW SOCIAL ORDERS. - 4. Expertise with a Cause. - 5. Faustian Bargains in Totalitarian Europe. - 6. Experts in Exile. - PART III: COOPERATING EXPERTS, BUILDING INSTITUTIONS. - 7. Geographies of Cooperation in Nuclear Europe. - 8. Contesting Europe in Space. - 9. Experts' Europe from a Bird's-eye View Conclusion

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Book SynopsisA provocative view of economic growth in the Third World argues that the countries that have achieved steady economic growth—including future economic superpowers India and China—have done so because they have resisted the American ideology of free markets.The American government has been both miracle worker and villain in the developing world. From the end of World War II until the 1980s poor countries, including many in Africa and the Middle East, enjoyed a modicum of economic growth. New industries mushroomed and skilled jobs multiplied, thanks in part to flexible American policies that showed an awareness of the diversity of Third World countries and an appreciation for their long-standing knowledge about how their own economies worked. Then during the Reagan era, American policy changed. The definition of laissez-faire shifted from Do it your way, to an imperial Do it our way. Growth in the developing world slowed, income inequalities skyrocketed, and financi

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Book SynopsisOn 4th March 1976 the value of the British pound against the US dollar began to slide in international markets and the Prime Minister James Callaghan turned to the International Monetary Fund for help. This study looks at the crisis and reveals its historical roots and contemporary context.Table of ContentsPart 1 The politcs: what's past is prologue; the gathering storm - March-September 1976; October-December 1976; getting rid of the sterling balances. Part 2 The economics: the movement of opinion; the loss of control - the balance of payments; the loss of control - the balance of payments - a. fiscal policy, b. monetary policy, c. incomes policy; comparisons and conclusions. Appendix: the letter of intent.

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Book SynopsisThe world''s largest company, Wal-Mart Stores, has revenues higher than the GDP of all but twenty-five of the world''s countries. Its employees outnumber the populations of almost a hundred nations. The world''s largest asset manager, a secretive New York company called Black Rock, controls assets greater than the national reserves of any country on the planet. A private philanthropy, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, spends as much worldwide on health care as the World Health Organization. The rise of private power may be the most important and least understood trend of our time. David Rothkopf provides a fresh, timely look at how we have reached a point where thousands of companies have greater power than all but a handful of states. Beginning with the story of an inquisitive Swedish goat wandering off from his master and inadvertently triggering the birth of the oldest company still in existence, Power, Inc. follows the rise and fall of kings and empir

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Book SynopsisAn absorbing and original narrative history of American capitalismNAMED A BEST BOOK OF 2017 BY THE ECONOMISTFrom the days of the Mayflower and the Virginia Company, America has been a place for people to dream, invent, build, tinker, and bet the farm in pursuit of a better life. Americana takes us on a four-hundred-year journey of this spirit of innovation and ambition through a series of Next Big Things -- the inventions, techniques, and industries that drove American history forward: from the telegraph, the railroad, guns, radio, and banking to flight, suburbia, and sneakers, culminating with the Internet and mobile technology at the turn of the twenty-first century. The result is a thrilling alternative history of modern America that reframes events, trends, and people we thought we knew through the prism of the value that, for better or for worse, this nation holds dearest: capitalism. In a winning, accessible style, Bhu Srinivasan

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book Synopsis

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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