Europe in the Eighteenth Century: 1713-1783 (A General history of Europe)

The first edition of this book was hailed by the journal History as 'much the best English textbook in the field', and the third, fully revised, edition is likely to keep it so. Professor Anderson surveys all aspects of European life in the eighteenth century. As before, most of the discussion is on a continent-wide basis; the British Isles are treated as an integral part of the continent; and the book is particularly strong in the attention it devotes to the important but often neglected nations of eastern Europe. It also deals with the European colonial empires, and with the extra-European cultural influences that now affected the life the continent. Furthermore, this edition draws together all the recent important scholarship on the period. In the book Professor Anderson surveys all aspects of European life in the eighteenth century. Most of the discussion is on a continent-wide basis; the British Isles are treated as an integral part of the continent; and the book is particularly strong in the attention in devotes to the important but often neglected states of eastern Europe. It also deals with the European colonial empires, and with the extra-European cultural influences that now affected the life of the continent. Professor Anderson looks in detail at the central political events of the time - amongst them the emergence of Russia and Bradenburg-Prussia as great powers, and the increasing tensions of the old regime in France. He also explores the mechanisms of international relations, and the armed forces whose demands were a significant factor in the lives of all the great European states. But he gives equal weight to non-political matters, and in this new edition he has particularly expanded his discussion of economic and social issues, and of intellectual and religious life. Much of the best recent work on the eighteenth century has been published in languages other than English, most notably in French, and the fruits of this scholarship have been incorporated throughout the revised text. The bibliography has also been thoroughly revised and brought up to date. Introduction -- The Sources -- The Structure Of Society -- Economic Life -- Government And Administration -- Monarchs And Despots : Tensions Within The State -- Armies And Navies -- Diplomacy And International Relations -- The Expansion Of Russia : Poland, The Baltic And The Near East -- The German States And The Rise Of Prussia -- Spain, Italy And The Mediterranean -- The Anglo-french Struggle For Empire -- Europe And The Outside World -- Education And Cultural Life -- The Enlightenment And Its Competitors -- Religion And The Churches -- Conclusion. M.s. Anderson. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.