The Development of the French Economy, 1750–1914

Examines the way economic historians have approached two sets of problems. Should the French economy in 18th and 19th centuries be considered "retarded", or an early European development success, and, should economic performance be explained by material conditions, or in social terms. Front Matter....Pages 1-8 Introduction: The Outlines of a Debate....Pages 9-11 The Performance of the French Economy....Pages 12-22 Natural Resources and the Labour Supply....Pages 23-32 Capital and Technical Progress....Pages 33-43 An Agricultural Revolution?....Pages 44-50 ‘The Call of the Markets’: The Pressure of Demand in the French Economy....Pages 51-59 Social and Institutional Influences on Development....Pages 60-69 Conclusion....Pages 70-71 Back Matter....Pages 72-82