Transitions to Capitalism in Early Modern Europe: Economies in the Era of Early Globalization, c. 1450 - c. 1820

Description

Between the end of the Middle Ages and the early nineteenth century, the long-established structures and practices of European trade, agriculture, and industry were disparately but profoundly transformed. Revised, updated, and expanded, this second edition of Transitions to Capitalism in Early Modern Europe narrates and analyses the diverse trends that greatly enlarged European commerce, permanently modified rural and urban production, gave birth to new social classes, remade consumer habits, and altered global economic geographies, culminating in capitalist industrial revolution. Broad in chronological and geographical scope and explicitly comparative, Robert S. DuPlessis' book introduces readers to a wealth of information drawn from throughout Eastern, Western and Mediterranean Europe, as well as to classic interpretations, current debates, new scholarship, and suggestions for further reading.

Robert S. DuPlessis, Professor Emeritus of History at Swarthmore College, has published widely on the history of textile industries, material culture and consumption. His most recent works include The Material Atlantic: Clothing, Commerce, and Colonization in the Atlantic World, 1650-1800 (Cambridge, 2015), for which he was awarded the Jerry J. Bentley Prize by the World History Association in 2016. He has received fellowships from The John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, The Camargo Foundation, The National Endowment for the Humanities, the Fulbright Foundation, and the Surdna Foundation.

'A sweeping and compelling account of the changing contours of Europe's economy from the mid-fifteenth century to the early-nineteenth century. With a deep and abiding interest in a broad interpretation of capitalism, Robert DuPlessis weaves together with exceptional clarity and fairness debates and polities both well-known and obscure. This book will become a focus of debate and a prod to research.' David Hancock, University of Michigan 'This is considerably more than a survey of the economic history of early modern Europe. Based on sure control of the relevant scholarly literature, it is a lucid analysis of Europe's agricultural, industrial and commercial sectors and how the changes they underwent from the fifteenth century to the nineteenth made modern capitalism possible.' Martha Howell, Miriam Champion Professor of History, Columbia University 'A state-of-the-art survey of the fundamental changes that European economies and societies experienced in the centuries before the Industrial Revolution. Its sensitivity to regional and temporal variations, and to historians' conflicting interpretations of these variations, makes this book an ideal introduction to this fascinating topic.' Maarten Prak, Utrecht University 'With this second addition DuPlessis raises his already fine analysis to a higher level. Extended bibliographies reflect the proliferation of recent research on global trade networks (including slavery), patterns of consumption, and women's work. DuPlessis gives full weight to regional variations in economic development. Altogether, this is an outstanding account, lucidly and fluently written.' Tom Scott, University of St Andrews