The First Modern Economy
Success, Failure, and Perseverance of the Dutch Economy, 1500–1815

A comprehensive economic history of the Netherlands, the first truly modern economy, during its rise to European economic leadership.

Jan de Vries (Author), Ad van der Woude (Author)

9780521570619, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 28 May 1997

792 pages, 68 b/w illus. 11 maps 102 tables
22.9 x 15.2 x 4.1 cm, 1.22 kg

"...this monumental work shows how useful economic history, when properly integrated with social and political history, can be comprehending how the world functioned in the past." Richard W. Unger, Journal of Modern History

The First Modern Economy provides a comprehensive economic history of the Netherlands during its rise to European economic leadership, the 'Golden Age', and subsequent decline (1500–1815). The authors argue that it was the first modern economy, and defend their position with detailed analyses of its major economic sectors, as well as investigations of social structure and macro-economic performance. Dutch economic history is placed in its European and world context, and inter-continental and colonial trade are discussed fully. Special emphasis is placed on the environmental context of economic growth and later decline, as well as on demographic developments. The authors also argue that the Dutch model of development and stagnation is applicable to currently maturing economies.

Preface
1. By way of introduction
Part I. Structures: 2. Space and time, structures and conjunctures
3. The people
4. Money and taxes, borrowing and lending
5. Three questions
Part II. Sectors: 6. Agriculture
7. Fishing
8. Industry
9. Foreign trade until the mid-seventeenth century
10. Foreign trade after the mid-seventeenth century
Part III. Analysis: 11. City and country: the social structure of a modern economy
12. The standard of living and the labor market
13. The course of the economy: a macroeconomic analysis
14. Postlude.

Subject Areas: Economic history [KCZ]