Description
Book SynopsisChallenges the hold that cliometrics - an approach to economic history that employs the analytical tools of economists - has exerted on the study of our economic past. This book calls for the reconstruction of economic history, one in which history and the social sciences are brought to bear on economics, and not the other way around.
Trade Review"Most of Boldizzoni's examples of bad economic history are also examples of bad economics. There are no shortcuts to good work. The merit of this book is to remind us of that sad truth."--George Grantham, Journal of Economic History "[Boldizzoni's] sensible guidelines--which do not negate the importance of either theory or quantification--should become standard practice for historians who want to venture beyond their own discipline into the world of social science."--Michael B. Katz, Journal of American History "The Poverty of Clio is a vigorous polemic that convincingly points out the deficiencies of current economic history. It is an extremely learned book that draws on a wide array of research from different fields... [T]he book makes an important contribution to rethinking the state of the art and to--hopefully--realigning economic history more closely with general history."--Justus Nipperdey, European Review of History "I ... found The Poverty of Clio an interesting and stimulating read, recommendable for anyone interested in economic history."--Erik Bengtsson, Economic Sociology
Table of ContentsPreface ix Chapter 1: Truth on the Cross Science and Ideology 1 Chapter 2: Economics with a Human Face? 18 Chapter 3: The Fanciful World of Clio 54 Chapter 4: The World We Have Lost Microeconomic History 87 Chapter 5: The World We Have Lost Macroeconomic Perspectives 120 Chapter 6: Building on the Past The Creative Power of History 138 References 173 Index 209
