The Vital Century: England's Developing Economy, 1714-1815 (General History of Europe)

Long neglected, the Eighteenth Century is now the focus for much of the most exciting work in history today. This new research has so altered and expanded our understanding of the Georgian economy that some historians now question the very idea of an `Industrial Revolution'. John Rule uses the latest scholarship for a comprehensive and magisterial review -- of population, output, agriculture, manufacture, labour, communications, towns, finance and domestic and overseas markets -- through which he reassesses the `vital century'in which the contours of the modern economy first emerge to view.An analytical survey which offers the first comprehensive economic history of the C.18th. Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents List of Abbreviations List of Figures List of Tables Introductory Note Preface Acknowledgements 1. Introduction 2. Growth of Population and Output Mortality Fertility Proletarianisation and reproduction The great escape? The growth of output Agriculture Manufacturing 3. The Agricultural Economy Land ownership and occupation The improvement of agriculture Landlords and improvement Parliamentary enclosure Enclosure and the labourer 4. The Manufacturing Economy Textiles Coal Metals Hardware manufacturing Glass and paper making Other manufactures 5. Forms of Enterprise in Manufacturing and Mining Manufacturing Mining 6. Labour in Manufacturing and Mining Working conditions and wages Work and health 7. Roadways and Waterways Roads Sea carriage Navigable rivers Canals Transport and investment Conclusion 8. Markets Domestic markets Overseas markets 9. Money Matters: Debt, Taxes and Currency Debt Taxation Insurance, banking and currency 10. The Vital Century? Select Bibliography Index (This series aims to provide a comprehensive picture of the important developments in British social and economic life from the Anglo-Saxon settlement to the present day. John Rule examines each aspect of the economy in turn, beginning with the growth of population, the agricultural and the manufacturing economies; labour; roadways and waterways; the role of towns; finance; and the domestic and overseas markets. Although there was no sudden or dramatic transformation of the economy in the way implied by some traditional presentations of the Industrial Revolution, by the end of this period the contours of the modern economy were clearly visible. Together with the companion volume Albion's English Society -1714-1815, this provides an economic and social history of the 18th century. It incorporates fresh research which has appeared during the 1980s on the 18th century and it looks at rural industry as well as the growing industry in the new towns) John Rule uses the latest scholarship for a comprehensive and magisterial review xxx; of population, output, agriculture, manufacture, labour, communications, towns, finance and domestic and overseas markets xxx; through which he reassesses the 'vital century' in which the contours of the modern economy first emerge to view. John Rule. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 318-325) And Index.