Economic history Books

Book SynopsisThroughout much of the twentieth century, economists paid little heed to the role of financial intermediaries in procuring a beneficial allocation of capital. By the end of the century, however, some financial historians had begun to turn the tide, and the phrase ''finance-growth nexus'' became part of the lexicon of modern economics. Recent experience has added another dimension in that countries with broader, deeper and more active financial systems might be prone to financial crises, particularly if regulatory structures are inadequate. In this book, Peter L. Rousseau and Paul Wachtel have gathered together some of today''s most distinguished financial historians to examine this finance-growth nexus from both historical and modern perspectives. Some essays examine the nexus in a particular historical or cross-country context. Others, in the light of recent experience, explore the expanded nexus of finance, growth, crises, and regulation.Trade Review'What kind of financial system meets the needs the needs of the economy and how best to avoid excessive financialization and instability are pressing policy issues in the wake of the Great Recession and Global Financial Crisis. These are also issues on which historical evidence sheds valuable light, as the contributors to this fine volume make demonstrably clear. Not only scholars, but also policy makers and regulators, should pay heed to this book.' Barry Eichengreen, University of California, Berkley'This is an important collection of new essays by leading economic and financial historians and economists. Covering a broad range of countries and time periods, they make an excellent and compelling case for the at times overlooked contribution of different types of financial developments to economic growth and change.' Stanley L. Engerman, University of Rochester'In this book, some of the top financial historians in the world explain how the various parts of the complex American financial system evolved through past crises. In the process, eventually the financial system learned how to sustain economic growth. This time will not be different if their lessons from history are learned.' Larry D. Neal, University of Illinois, Urbana-ChampaignTable of ContentsIntroduction Peter L. Rousseau and Paul Wachtel; 1. Growing up to stability? Financial globalization, financial development, and financial crises Michael D. Bordo and Christopher M. Meissner; 2. Episodes of financial deepening: credit booms or growth generators? Peter L. Rousseau and Paul Wachtel; 3. Financing US economic growth, 1790–1860: corporations, markets, and the real economy Robert E. Wright; 4. Banks and democracy John Joseph Wallis; 5. Finance, economic growth, and globalization in the era of the Cold War Niall Ferguson; 6. Anatomy of a regime change: underwriters' reputation, New Deal financial acts and the collapse of international capital markets, 1920–35 Marc Flandreau; 7. Protecting financial stability in the aftermath of World War I: the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta's dissenting policy Eugene N. White; 8. Rediscovering macro-prudential regulation: the national banking era from the perspective of 2015 Charles W. Calomiris and Mark Carlson.

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Book SynopsisDrawing upon economic history, cultural studies, intellectual history and the history of science and medicine, this collection of case studies examines the transatlantic transfer and transformation of goods and ideas, with particular emphasis on their reception in Europe. Trade Review“Global Goods presents us with a fascinating array of case studies that add valuable details and perspectives to our understanding of Spain’s involvement in the first global age. … Global Goods, in other words, does more than just rehash Spain’s involvement in early globalization, it also helps to explain often forgotten aspects of how, why, and to what effect that involvement occurred.” (Journal of Jesuit Studies, booksandjournals.brillonline.com, Vol. 3 (3), June, 2016)“The chapters assembled in Global Goods and the Spanish Empire represent a significant contribution to a number of fields of inquiry. Scholars interested in the history of globalization, colonialism, consumption, material culture, and many other issues will find that this book rewards their attention. It is certainly appropriate for postgraduate students, but it should be accessible to advanced undergraduates as well.” (Stephen Webre, International Journal of Maritime History, Vol. 7 (4), November, 2015) Table of Contents1. Global Goods in the Spanish Empire: State of the Art and Prospects for Research; Bethany Aram PART I: CULTURAL AND INTELLECTUAL CONSTRAINTS 2. The Early Modern Food Revolution: A Perspective from the Iberian Atlantic; María de los Ángeles Pérez Samper 3. The Difficult Beginnings: Columbus as a Mediator of New World Products; Consuelo Varela 4. Accommodating America to Europe: Renaissance Missionaries between the Ancient and the New World; Antonella Romano 5. America and the Hermeneutics of Nature in Renaissance Europe; María Portuondo 6. The Diffusion of Maize in Italy: From Resistance to the Peasants' Defeat; Giovanni Levi PART II: THE SOCIAL USE OF THINGS 7. Taste Transformed: Sugar, Spice and the Sixteenth-Century Hispano-Burgundian Court; Bethany Aram 8. Diet, Travel and Colonialism in the Early Modern World; Rebecca Earle 9. Asian Silk, Porcelain and Material Culture in the Definition of Mexican and Andalusian Elites, c.1565-1630; José Luis Gasch 10. Interest and Curiosity: American Products, Information, and Exotica in Tuscany; Francisco Javier Zamora Rodríguez PART III: CONNECTED AND CONTRASTING SOCIETIES 11. Mexican Cochineal and the European Demand for a Luxury Dye, 1550-1850; Carlos Marichal Salinas 12. Hispaniola's Turn to Tobacco: Products from Santo Domingo in Atlantic Commerce; Antonio Gutiérrez Escudero 13. Global trade, environmental constraints and local conflicts: The case of early modern Hispaniola; Igor Pérez Tostado 14. The Resilience and Boomerang Effects of Chocolate: A Product's Globalization and Commodification; Irene Fattacciu 15. Globalization, Iberian Empires and Cross-Cultural Consumption in a World Context, c. 1400-1700; Bartolomé Yun-Casalilla Selected Bibliography

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Book SynopsisAt the start of the eighteenth century Louis XIV needed to remit huge sums of money abroad to support his armies during the War of the Spanish Succession. This book explains how international bankers moved French money across Europe, and how the foreign exchange system was so overloaded by the demands of war that a massive banking crash resulted.Trade Review“The present book shifts attention from the French fiscal administration and its structural and organizational inadequacies, across to the bankers who provided the huge injections of cash and especially foreign specie, needed to keep the French armies in the field. … This is a study which brings into focus the operations of a distinct group of financial entrepreneurs, showing that they were both vital to and parasitic upon the state’s military ambitions.” (David Parrott, History - Journal of the Historical Association, December, 2016)“Though this is a technical book, focused narrowly on a particular problem in international banking and state finance, Rowlands does a remarkably good job at explaining the intricacies of his subject, offering excellent introductions to the workings of the remitting system, the use of bills of exchange and the functions of international bankers. … This new book is the definitive work on international remitting in the last phase of Louis XIV’s reign, and is unlikely to be surpassed.” (John Shovlin, English Historical Review, Vol. 131 (552), October, 2016)“Dangerous and Dishonest Men presents an astonishing story of administrative incompetence, corrupt banking practices, and financial disaster. Rowlands is remarkable in his ability to understand and clarify the intricacies of early modern war finance and bring them to bear on one of the major events in French economic history.” (Thomas M. Luckett, Journal of Modern History, Vol. 88 (4), 2016)Table of ContentsIntroduction PART I: FRANCE, FOREIGN EXCHANGE AND THE LOGISTICS OF INTERNATIONAL REMITTING 1. The French Monarchy and the Foreign Exchange System in the Era of Louis XIV 2. The Logistical Geography of French Remitting 3. The Price of Foreign Exchange PART II: THE ROAD TO RUIN: FRENCH REMITTANCE BANKING IN THE WAR OF THE SPANISH SUCCESSION 4. The Gathering Storm: The Development of a Remittance System, 1700-06 5. Overloading Atlas: Samuel Bernard and the Crisis of French Banking Conclusion

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Book SynopsisThis collection of essays explores the inter-imperial connections between British, Spanish, Dutch, and French Caribbean colonies, and the 'Old World' countries which founded them. Grounded in primary archival research, the thirteen contributors focus on the ways that participants in the Atlantic World economy transcended imperial boundaries.Table of ContentsTable Of Contents 1. Experiments In Modernity: The Making Of The Atlantic World Economy; A.B. Leonard And David Pretel 2. From Seas To Ocean: Interpreting The Shift From The North Sea-Baltic World To The Atlantic, 1650-1800; David Ormrod 3. On The Rocks: A New Approach To Atlantic World Trade, 1520-1890; Chuck Meide 4. Commerce And Conflict: Jamaica And The War Of The Spanish Succession; Nula Zahedieh 5. Baltimore And The French Atlantic: Empires, Commerce, And Identity In A Revolutionary Age, 1783-1798; Manuel Covo 6. Modernity And The Demise Of The Dutch Atlantic, 1650-1914; Gert Oostindie 7. From Local To Transatlantic: Insuring Trade In The Caribbean; A.B. Leonard 8. Slavery, The British Atlantic Economy, And The Industrial Revolution; Knick Harley 9. Commodity Frontiers, Spatial Economy, And Technological Innovation In The Caribbean Sugar Industry, 1783-1878; Dale W. Tomich 10. From Periphery To Centre: Transatlantic Capital Flows, 1830-1890; Martín Rodrigo Y Alharilla 11. Baring Brothers And The Cuban Plantation Economy, 1814-1870; Inés Roldán De Montaud 12. Circuits Of Knowledge: Foreign Technology And Transnational Expertise In Nineteenth-Century Cuba; David Pretel And Nadia Fernández-De-Pinedo 13. Afterword: Mercantilism And The Caribbean Atlantic World Economy; Martin Daunton

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Book Synopsis1. Taxation in Sweden Since 1862: An Introduction and Overview; Magnus Henrekson, Mikael Stenkula 2. Swedish Labor Income Taxation (1862 2013); Gunnar Du Rietz, Dan Johansson, Mikael Stenkula 3. Swedish Capital Income Taxation (1862 2013); Gunnar Du Rietz, Dan Johansson, Mikael Stenkula 4. Taxation of Goods and Services in Sweden (1862 2013); Mikael Stenkula 5. Swedish Inheritance and Gift Taxation (1885 2004); Gunnar Du Rietz, Magnus Henrekson, Daniel Waldenström 6. Swedish Wealth Taxation (1911 2007); Gunnar Du Rietz, Magnus Henrekson 7. Taxation of Real Estate in Sweden (1862 2013); Mikael StenkulaTrade Review"This book characterizes the Swedish tax system and all its changes during a 150-year period. All important taxes and tax bases are covered: Labor, capital, wealth, inheritance and gift, goods and services, and finally real estate. The completeness and long historical coverage make this a unique set of information. I predict that this book will be the standard reference in all future research involving Swedish taxes." - Lennart Flood, Professor, University of Gothenburg, Sweden "This volume provides a comprehensive overview in English of the entire Swedish tax system, covering the 152 years from 1862 to 2013. The Swedish tax structure has varied enormously over this period, with at least ten major tax reforms, and with marginal tax rates reaching levels rarely seen in any other country. This volume should become a key reference for a wide range of papers studying how taxes affect firm and individual behavior." - Roger H. Gordon, Professor, University of California, San Diego, USATable of Contents1. Taxation in Sweden Since 1862: An Introduction and Overview; Magnus Henrekson, Mikael Stenkula 2. Swedish Labor Income Taxation (1862 2013); Gunnar Du Rietz, Dan Johansson, Mikael Stenkula 3. Swedish Capital Income Taxation (1862 2013); Gunnar Du Rietz, Dan Johansson, Mikael Stenkula 4. Taxation of Goods and Services in Sweden (1862 2013); Mikael Stenkula 5. Swedish Inheritance and Gift Taxation (1885 2004); Gunnar Du Rietz, Magnus Henrekson, Daniel Waldenström 6. Swedish Wealth Taxation (1911 2007); Gunnar Du Rietz, Magnus Henrekson 7. Taxation of Real Estate in Sweden (1862 2013); Mikael Stenkula

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Book SynopsisMarcel Boumans is Associate Professor History and Methodology of Economics at the Utrecht School of Economics, Utrecht University, The Netherlands. John B. Davis isProfessor of Economics, Marquette University, USA, and Professor of Economics, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.Trade Review'This book is a good starting point to give students a wider view on economics as a science. Such a view is immensely useful, also later in life, to critically assess debates among economists and communicate without prejudice with non-economists.' Ben Gales, University of Groningen, The Netherlands 'In the best Blaugian tradition of balancing rigour and relevance, the second edition of this textbook adds to an already clear account of key methodological concepts. It reinforces the relevance of methodological tools to clarify economic debates.' Giancarlo Ianulardo, University of Exeter Business School, UK 'The book is a valuable companion for students interested in the conceptualisation and interplay of economic narration and its empiricism. It offers a sober view on the ongoing debate in economics, reinvigorated by the recent crisis.' Gianpiero Torrisi, University of Portsmouth, UK Praise for the first edition: 'This is a very innovative, clear, and well-informed text in economic methodology that fills an important niche.' D. Wade Hands, Professor of Economics, University of Puget Sound and Co-editor of the Journal of Economic Methodology 'This is an excellent book that goes beyond being a textbook. It is a contribution in synthesizing issues in methodology of economics.' Sohrab Behdad, Professor and John E. Harris Chair in Economics, Denison University, USA 'This book addresses an urgent need. The global economic crisis has provoked many students to question the scientific status of economics and normative reasoning of economists. This book shows how knowledge of the philosophy of science and science studies can help make such questions more sophisticated. Professors will be pleased with the sure-handed treatment of these fields given by Boumans and Davis; students will be grateful for the plentiful examples, as well as the 'So what?' sections, new to the second edition. I look forward to using this book for years to come.' Edward Nik-Khah, Roanoke College, USA.Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. The Received View of Science 2. Methodologies of Positive Economics 3. Popper's Logic of Discovery 4. Kuhn and Lakatos 5. The Sociology of Scientific Knowledge 6. Rhetoric, Postmodernism, and Pluralism 7. Value Judgments in Economics Glossary Index.

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Book SynopsisBetween 1945 and 1960, Germany and Japan rocketed from crushing defeat to become two of the five largest economies in the world positions they have maintained since. What accounts for this remarkable transformation? In this uniquely comparative account, Ray Stokes examines the spectacular resurgence of Deutschland AG and Japan Incorporated.

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Book SynopsisThe Glorious Revolution of 16889 transformed the role of parliament in Britain and its empire. Large numbers of statutes resulted, with most concerning economic activity. Julian Hoppit here provides the first comprehensive account of these acts, revealing how government affected economic life in this critical period prior to the Industrial Revolution, and how economic interests across Britain used legislative authority for their own benefit. Through a series of case studies, he shows how ideas, interests, and information influenced statutory action in practice. Existing frameworks such as ''mercantilism'' and the ''fiscal-military state'' fail to capture the full richness and structural limitations of how political power influenced Britain''s precocious economic development in the period. Instead, finely grained statutory action was the norm, guided more by present needs than any grand plan, with regulatory ambitions constrained by administrative limitations, and some parts of Britain Trade Review'Britain's Political Economies will fundamentally alter the way we think about the nature of Britain's state-regulated economy before the Industrial Revolution.' Tim Harris, Journal of Interdisciplinary History'… the great virtue of this book is that it demonstrates the sheer complexity of the way in which 'ideas' translate into 'action', and that is a valuable lesson indeed.' Keith Tribe, The European Journal of the History of Economic ThoughtTable of ContentsPart I. Contours: 1. Introduction; 2. The legislative revolution; 3. Legislating economically; 4. The local, national, and imperial; 5. Information, interests, and political economy; Part II. Cases: 6. The political economy of the fens; 7. The political economy of wool; 8. The political economy of bounties; 9. Refiguring the British fiscal state; 10. Conclusion; Appendix 1: legislation subject scheme; Appendix 2: specific economic legislation by English and Scottish counties, 1707–1800.

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Book SynopsisCatherine Flinn is Associate Lecturer at Oxford Brookes University, UK. Her main research interest is the impact of politics and economics on the architecture and landscape of modern Britain.Trade ReviewIn a very well written and exceptionally well organized book, Flinn achieves her goal: She clearly highlights the political and institutional reasons why the reconstruction plans for the blitzed cities didn’t come to fruition … [For] anyone interested in a better understanding of the incredible challenges involved with rebuilding Britain after the war, I’d recommend it enthusiastically. * EH.net *A meticulous, detailed account of what became of cities such as Coventry, Liverpool, Hull, Exeter and Portsmouth whose urban fabric was torn to shreds by German planes, and the ideas of the planners who sought to rebuild them ... This book [contains] extraordinary attention to detail. * Contemporary British History *A superbly researched and useful addition to the existing body of work on reconstruction. * Journal of British Studies *Catherine Flinn’s excellent book raises important questions that extend far beyond the reconstruction of blitzed cities, the role of planners, and the triumph of modernism over historical reimagining. It also raises questions of how limited resources were allocated after the war, how decisions were made by the local and national state, how private economic interests operated within a planned economy. Her findings will be of great interest not only to urban and architectural but also to economic, political and cultural historians of postwar Britain. * Martin Daunton, Emeritus Professor of Economic History, University of Cambridge, UK *The devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans, the nuclear meltdown at Fukushima, and the Grenfell Tower Disaster in London demonstrated that while causes of urban disaster may be simple, the consequences present major challenges. In her meticulous study, Flinn shows that the reconstruction of Britain following the air raids of World War Two saw many grand plans. Some were realized, while others were undermined by political, practical and economic constraints. Rebuilding Britain's Blitzed Cities is essential both for our understanding of post-war British history, but also as a corrective to naive arguments that urban renewal can always be straightforward. * Mark Clapson, Professor of Social and Urban History, University of Westminster, UK *Table of ContentsList of Abbreviations List of Persons & Affiliations List of Illustrations Preface: In Spite of Planning 1. Introduction: Did the Planners “Cut the Heart Out of our Cities”? 2. Considering Reconstruction, 1940-1945 3. Treasury Mandarins: The Apparatus of Postwar Economic Planning 4. Central Control?: The Challenges of Postwar Physical Planning 5. Local Constraints: The Cities of Hull, Exeter and Liverpool 6. Postwar Rebuilding: Hopeful Plans Become Different Realities 7. Rebuilding Blitzed City Centres Despite Planning Appendices Bibliography Index

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