The French Economy in the Twentieth Century

Surveys the spectacular transformation that the French economy has undergone over the past century.

Jean-Pierre Dormois (Author)

9780521660921, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 1 July 2004

174 pages, 1 b/w illus. 39 tables
22.4 x 14.3 x 1.5 cm, 0.31 kg

"As a French economic historian, I get now and then requests from colleagues overseas asking for an English language crash course in twentieth century French economic history. So far, I was never able to provide a single reference...This little book by Jean-Pierre Dormois...is therefore most welcome: it fills a gap and provides an excellent starting point for whoever is interested by the achievements of the French economy during the last century." EH.NET, Marc Flandreau, Institut d'Etudes

This new textbook examines the spectacular transformation that the French economy has undergone over the past century. Jean-Pierre Dormois offers a general introduction to the major trends as well as recent transformations of French society, and an overview of modern economic development. He tackles the key themes associated with the French 'path of economic development' - Malthusianism, exceptionalism and Colbertism. Other chapters address standard economic issues on the role of human capital formation, economic institutions and openness to the rest of the world. The author examines and interprets trends and features of the period as a whole, and sets them in a wider European framework. This book offers students a helpful and concise summary of recent research, and presents a uniquely synthetic view of the French economy in the twentieth century. It will have broad appeal for students and teachers of French and of European history and economics.

1. The end of French exceptionalism
2. French economic performance in international perspective
3. France and the wider world
4. The changing guises of Colbertism
5. The institutions of French capitalism
6. Labour: the French at work
7. Tilling and grazing: lifeblood or strain?
8. Industrialisation, de-industrialisation, post-industrialisation
Conclusion.

Subject Areas: Economic history [KCZ], Social & cultural history [HBTB], 20th century history: c 1900 to c 2000 [HBLW], European history [HBJD]