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Books > Humanities > History > History of specific subjects > Economic history
Thomas Hodgskin (1787-1869) is today a largely unknown figure, sometimes considered to be a forerunner of Karl Marx. Yet a closer look at Hodgskin's works reveals that he was actually a committed advocate of laissez-faire economics and enthusiastic about labor-saving machinery and the Industrial Revolution, with a genuine interest in the well-being of the working classes. This book places him in the tradition of classical liberalism, where he belongs-as a disciple of Adam Smith, but even less tolerant of government power than Smith was. Classical Liberalism and the Industrial Working Class: The Economic Thought of Thomas Hodgskin will be of interest to advanced students and scholars in the history of economic thought, economic history and the history of political thought.
The period from 1957-1988 was transformative for the international oil industry. As the home to two major oil companies, BP and Shell, as well as the possessor of large quantities of oil and gas in its territorial waters, the United Kingdom was at the heart of this transition. While famous for its liberal policy towards oil and gas production, both before and after the discovery of North Sea oil and gas, this period actually saw the United Kingdom respond to shifts in power from the major oil companies to the oil-producing states, many of them in OPEC, by building up its competency regarding oil matters. This took the form of efforts to influence the activities of BP and Shell abroad as well as in creation of a state-run oil company, the British National Oil Corporation, in an attempt to exercise greater state control over oil and gas production and distribution. The failure of these efforts was driven in part by internal divisions within Whitehall, the efforts of the oil companies themselves, and ultimately the political will of the Conservative Party under Margaret Thatcher to get the state out of the business of oil and gas.
The period between 1767 and 1873 shaped public finance in Britain (and, by extension, many other countries) as we know it today, with the major economists of the time providing influential contributions. Until now, no book has examined and compared the thought of these 'classical economists' from the perspective of public finance rather than that of pure theory. This groundbreaking volume critically analyzes and compares the writings on government expenditure, taxation and public debt of thinkers such as Adam Smith, Jeremy Bentham, David Ricardo and Thomas Malthus. These key figures are united by their struggles with fiscal theory - an important feature in the formation and development of political economy. An original and intriguing read, this book breathes fresh life into the history of economic thought. Dome's clear and exciting arguments will make for essential reading for historians of economic thought, economic historians and those with an interest in public finance.
The main focus of the volume - the processes of choice and decision-making in different economic systems - offers exceptional scope for the convergence of economic and anthropological perspectives. It concentrates on transactions that both express and influence social relationships and values. Covering a wide geographic area there are specific studies on societies in Equatorial Africa, Colombia, South India and the Balkans. First published in 1967.
The first book of its kind: a fascinating and entertaining examination of hedge funds today Shortlisted for the Financial Times/Goldman Sachs Business Book of the Year Award 'An enormously satisfying book: a gripping chronicle of the cutting edge of the financial markets and a fascinating perspective on what was going on in these shadowy institutions as the crash hit' Observer Wealthy, powerful, and potentially dangerous, hedge-find managers have emerged as the stars of twenty-first century capitalism. Based on unprecedented access to the industry, More Money Than God provides the first authoritative history of hedge funds. This is the inside story of their origins in the 1960s and 1970s, their explosive battles with central banks in the 1980s and 1990s, and finally their role in the financial crisis of 2007-9. Hedge funds reward risk takers, so they tend to attract larger-than-life personalities. Jim Simons began life as a code-breaker and mathematician, co-authoring a paper on theoretical geometry that led to breakthroughs in string theory. Ken Griffin started out trading convertible bonds from his Harvard dorm room. Paul Tudor Jones happily declared that a 1929-style crash would be 'total rock-and-roll' for him. Michael Steinhardt was capable of reducing underlings to sobs. 'All I want to do is kill myself,' one said. 'Can I watch?' Steinhardt responded. A saga of riches and rich egos, this is also a history of discovery. Drawing on insights from mathematics, economics and psychology to crack the mysteries of the market, hedge funds have transformed the world, spawning new markets in exotic financial instruments and rewriting the rules of capitalism. And while major banks, brokers, home lenders, insurers and money market funds failed or were bailed out during the crisis of 2007-9, the hedge-fund industry survived the test, proving that money can be successfully managed without taxpayer safety nets. Anybody pondering fixes to the financial system could usefully start here: the future of finance lies in the history of hedge funds.
For the first time, Early Modern Streets unites the diverse strands of scholarship on urban streets between circa 1450 and 1800 and tackles key questions on how early modern urban society was shaped and how this changed over time. Much of the lives of urban dwellers in early modern Europe were played out in city streets and squares. By exploring urban spaces in relation to themes such as politics, economies, religion, and crime, this edited collection shows that streets were not only places where people came together to work, shop, and eat, but also to fight, celebrate, show their devotion, and express their grievances. The volume brings together scholars from different backgrounds and applies new approaches and methodologies to the historical study of urban experience. In doing so, Early Modern Streets provides a comprehensive overview of one of the most dynamic fields of scholarship in early modern history. Accompanied by over 50 illustrations, Early Modern Streets is the perfect resource for all students and scholars interested in urban life in early modern Europe.
Sassetti’s Indian Letters are among the most interesting penned during these years, offering a trove of cultural speculation and economic analysis. Sassetti was neither a principled critic of imperialism nor a principled advocate of liberalism, but a pragmatic theorist of free trade Sassetti was very much the archetypal Renaissance man
With Britain's empire collapsing and Stalin's ascendant, U.S. officials under new Secretary of State George C. Marshall set out to reconstruct western Europe as a bulwark against communist authoritarianism. Their massive, costly, and ambitious undertaking would confront Europeans and Americans alike with a vision at odds with their history and self-conceptions. In the process, they would drive the creation of NATO, the European Union, and a Western identity that continues to shape world events. This is the story behind the birth of the Cold War, and the U.S.-led liberal global order, told with verve, insight, and resonance for today. Bringing to bear fascinating new material from American, Russian, German, and other European archives, Benn Steil's book will forever change how we see the Marshall Plan. Focusing on the critical years 1947 to 1949, Steil's gripping narrative takes us through the seminal episodes marking the collapse of postwar U.S.-Soviet relations: the Prague coup, the Berlin blockade, and the division of Germany. In each case, Stalin's determination to crush the Marshall Plan and undermine American power in Europe is vividly portrayed. And in a riveting epilogue, Steil shows how the forces which clove Europe in two after the Second World War have reasserted themselves since the collapse of the Soviet Union. A polished and masterly work of historical narrative, The Marshall Plan is an instant classic of Cold War literature.
This collection begins with the cultural renaissance of the early
20th century, the rebellion against Western and Japanese
imperialism after 1919, the rise of the Nationalist and Communist
movements and their conflict in mainland China until the Communist
victory of 1949. After that, the focus is on the revolutionary
changes under Mao Zedong's regime, and the ideological struggles
after his death. Under Deng Ziaoping economic reform prompted rapid
growth but also led to calls for greater political freedom,
culminating in the Tiananmen protests of 1989. The final chapters
illustrate the problems the regime faces today, including the
ambitions of the Tibetan minority, and social issues such as
unemployment and corruption. Next to domestic issues, China's role
in the Korean War and changing relations with the USA and Soviet
Union are also covered.
The figure of the entrepreneur has become a relevant factor that explains the process of growth and economic development. Rising unemployment rates have generated among institutional and private agents, a significant interest in promoting entrepreneurship as a formula to eradicate this social scourge of unemployment. Active policies that favor business culture and initiative are being promoted in all areas. In the university world, academic research has multiplied the work on entrepreneurship, a term that includes a triple meaning: the figure of the entrepreneur, the business function and the creation of companies. This versatile meaning must be based on a consistent theory about the company and the entrepreneur. This book presents specific cases of companies and entrepreneurs that have had their role throughout the history of Spain. The intention is to show the techniques and learning acquired by those agents, which have allowed a considerable advance in the knowledge of the structure and business development. This book brings together the research carried out by its authors with primary sources and makes it accessible to a wide audience-Spanish and Latin American-and will be of value to researchers, academics, and students with an interest in Spanish entrepreneurship, business, and management history.
Western Enterprise in Far Eastern Economic Development charts the activities of Western firms in China and Japan from the middle of the nineteenth century, when those countries were opened to foreign trade, until recently. The organization of the Western business undertakings, the types of firms concerned and relations between the Westerners and the Japanese and Chinese economies are all discussed. Among the economic activities covered are: merchant banking, finance, manufacturing, mining, shipping and domestic transport. A dominant theme is the contrast presented by China and Japan in their response to Western enterprise.
Discussing the process of economic development in Japan, this book covers the period from when Japan first entered upon her career of Westernization to the beginning of the war with China in 1937. The main emphasis is on industrial and financial development and organization and on economic policy. Among the industries discussed are agriculture, textiles, steel and shipping. A comprehensive glossary and bibliography are included and much of the statistical information is tabulated for ease of reading.
Depression and Protectionism considers the case of the oldest advocate of free trade and its greatest exponent, Britain, and examines the developments that led to the reversal of that policy in the 1930s. It also discusses the consequences of the protectionst policy for the domestic economy. * Discusses the most important debate in international economics * Using an explicit economic framework, the book examines the economic origins of the industrial tariff in Britain.
The essays in this book focus on the controversies concerning Britain's economic performance between the mid-nineteenth century and the First World War. The overriding theme is that Britain's own resources were consistently more productive, more resilient and more successful than is normally assumed. And if the economy's achievement was considerable, the influence on it of external factors (trade, international competition, policy) were much less significant than is normally supposed. The book is structured as follows: Part One: The Method of Historical Economics Part Two: Enterprise in Late Victorian Britain Part Three: Britain in the World Economy, 1846-1913.
This study of economic reforms throughout Eastern Europe covers the history of attempts at decentralization. The book: describes the centralized model and compares its requirements with the realities of socialist countries; discusses the economic policies of the post-Stalinist period; and examines the origin of the reforms which began in 1956, culminating in the Soviet economic reform of 1965 and the rehabilitation of profit. The countries it covers include the former USSR, the former East Germany and Hungary.
This book illustrates how the first social science, that of economics, was built. It examines and discusses the work of Josiah Child, Nicholas Barbon, John Collins, William Petty, John Locke and Dudley North and the economic theories of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
This was the first comprehensive study of the City of London to be published. The study examines the economic structure of the city and considers the main influences likely to affect the development of the City, including the pattern of demand, technological change, population movements, supply of labour and land values. Particular attention is paid to the City's international role. Specific chapters are devoted to Banking & Finance, Insurance, Trade, Commerce and the Port, and the Manufacturing Industry. The book is supported with a wealth of statistical material based on original research and contains 116 tables and 28 diagrams.
This book presents a chronology of state policy in industry since the 1500s to the mid twentieth century, and explains the ideas that have shaped it. Includes chapters on: The state and exploitation; state participation in industry; state information and services; state operation of industry and state control over industry.
The studies in this volume are a result of the Social Reconstruction Survey carried out by Nuffield College, Oxford between 1941 and 1944. The Survey studied the position and prospects of towns or areas in Britain in order to find out what was likely to happen to their industrial development with a view to planning for the post-war location of industry and distribution of population. The result is an invaluable source of empirical material for the study of British industry in the mid twentieth century. Industries covered include: * Natural Textiles, Artificial Textiles, Carpets, Footwear * Extensive use of statistical information for imports and exports, production costs, employment figures etc.
'A masterpiece of succinct analysis.'New Statesman 'Penetrating in analysis and closely packed in thought.'Financial Times Analysing and examining the history of the economic events of the inter-war years, this book gives the reader both a sense of perspective of the larger scene of events on an international scale, whilst introducing facts and theories. National policies of the UK, France, Germany, the USA, Japan and the former Soviet Union are discussed as are developments in international trade.
Presenting a coherent interpretation of the development of economic and social policy in Britain since 1945, this text analyses the political assumptions underlying post-war economic policy. It traces these assumptions through the classic texts of Keynes and Beveridge, the architects of limited, non-socialist state intervention to secure the welfare state and full employment. The topics covered include private saving versus company pensions, and the level and composition of employment in Britain.
A History of European Economic Thought grafts the history of economic thought onto Global History by showing how significant economic ideas have influenced the process of Europe's formation from the very beginning to the present day. This work combines two classical stories that until today have followed parallel paths. On the one hand, there is the political history of Europe, which is often limited to a few fleeting references to the ideas of the great economists of the past. On the other hand, there is the history of economic thought, which examines Europe as a whole, as a distinct supranational community, only with reference to the institutions created after World War II. The volume sheds light on the constitutive values of Europe, which also stem from a particular economic culture, and provides essential reading for students and scholars of the history of economic thought.
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