Read more
List of contents
Introduction PART I War, Finance and Mercantilism Chapter 1: Great Divergence, Fiscal-Military State and Economic Policy Chapter 2: From Trading Cities to Territorial States Chapter 3: The “Military Revolution” Chapter 4: The Rise of the Fiscal State Chapter 5: Different Paths to Public Finance and Fiscal Systems 5.1 Spain 5.2 France 5.3 The Dutch Republic 5.4 England and the United Kindom 5.5 Prussia 5.6 The Habsburg Monarchy Chapter 6: European States and the Crisis of the 17th Century Chapter 7: Responses to the Crisis: Re-centring the European Economy Chapter 8: Mercantilism Chapter 9: Naval Power and Global Trade Chapter 10: The Economic War between France and Britain in the 18th Century PART II Economic Policies Chapter 11: The Italian States (16th–17th Centuries) 11.1 The Republic of Venice 11.2 The Republic of Genoa 11.3 Grand Duchy of Tuscany between the 16th century and crisis 11.4 The Savoy State 11.5 The Papal State 11.6 The Duchy of Milan 11.7 The Kingdom of Naples Chapter 12: State, Economic Policy and the Portuguese Empire Chapter 13: Spain: Empire, Crisis and Reforms Chapter 14: The Dutch Republic: a “Merchant State” Chapter 15: France: State, Colbertism and Economic Performance Chapter 16: England and the United Kingdom: The Mercantile System Chapter 17: The Economic Policy of Sweden Chapter 18: Russia from Peter the Great to Catherine Chapter 19: State and Economy in Frederick II’s Brandenburg-Prussia Chapter 20: The Habsburg Monarchy Conclusion Bibliography Index
About the author
Silvia A. Conca Messina is Assistant Professor of Economic History in the Department of Historical Studies at the University of Milan, Italy. She has published widely on Economic History and Business History in Italy and Europe from early modern to modern age. Her publications include Cotton Enterprises: Networks and Strategies. Lombardy in the Industrial Revolution, 1815–1860, Routledge, 2016 and A History of Wine Production and Consumption in Europe, 2 vols, edited with S. Le Bras, P. Tedeschi, M. Vaquero Piñeiro, 2019.
Summary
Why was early modern Europe the starting point of the economic expansion which led to the industrial revolution? What was the state’s role? This book demonstrates that wars, public finance and state intervention in the economy were the key elements underlying European economic dynamics of the era.
