Giovanni Federico - Böcker

The Handbook of Historical Economics guides students and researchers through a quantitative economic history that uses fully up-to-date econometric methods. The book's coverage of statistics applied to the social sciences makes it invaluable to a broad readership. As new sources and applications of data in every economic field are enabling economists to ask and answer new fundamental questions, this book presents an up-to-date reference on the topics at hand.

Provides an historical outline of the two cliometric revolutions, highlighting the similarities and the differences between the two Surveys the issues and principal results of the "second cliometric revolution" Explores innovations in formulating hypotheses and statistical testing, relating them to wider trends in data-driven, empirical economics

At the end of the 20th century with stagnating industrial output, unemployment in many European countries has climbed to levels not seen since the 1930s. Interventionist industrial policies thus find new popularity after the gentle flirtation with liberalization in the early 1990s. Under the Maastricht Treaty, the European Union was granted industrial policy powers for the first time. The present study aims to contribute to an understanding of European industrial policy by introducing an historical perspective. National policy continuities and the considerable time over which industrial performance responds to changed environments emerge with greater clarity in the long run. The chapters in this book take a broad view of industrial policy, including those policies that establish the `framework', such as competition law, as well as sector for firm specific policies. The overall conclusion is that improved framework policies, such as liberalization and re-regulation, are still essential. Monetary union in the `core' will increase tensions arising from economic inflexibility. Although there are often strong political barriers blocking implementation of appropriate industrial policies, they will be even more necessary under monetary union.

An Economic History of the Silk Industry, 1830-1930, first published in 1997, is an ambitious historical analysis of the development of a major commodity. Dr Federico examines the rapid growth of the world silk industry from the early nineteenth century to the eve of the Great Depression of the 1930s. Silk production grew as a result of Western industrialisation, which in turn brought about increased incomes and thus increased demand for silk products. The author documents the changes in methods of production and the technical progress that enabled the silk industry to cope with this new influx in demand. Dr Federico then discusses the significant changes in the geographical distribution of world output that accompanied this growth. In conclusion, Federico points out that silk did indeed becomes the first example of a Japanese success story on the world market, Italy and China both losing their markets due to Japan's large agricultural supply of raw material (cocoons) and its adroitness in importing and adopting Western technology.

An Economic History of the Silk Industry, 1830-1930, first published in 1997, is an ambitious historical analysis of the development of a major commodity. Dr Federico examines the rapid growth of the world silk industry from the early nineteenth century to the eve of the Great Depression of the 1930s. Silk production grew as a result of Western industrialisation, which in turn brought about increased incomes and thus increased demand for silk products. The author documents the changes in methods of production and the technical progress that enabled the silk industry to cope with this new influx in demand. Dr Federico then discusses the significant changes in the geographical distribution of world output that accompanied this growth. In conclusion, Federico points out that silk did indeed becomes the first example of a Japanese success story on the world market, Italy and China both losing their markets due to Japan's large agricultural supply of raw material (cocoons) and its adroitness in importing and adopting Western technology.

This volume in the New Studies in Economic and Social History series examines Italy's transformation from a largely rural state in the nineteenth century to today's industrial powerhouse. At the time of unification in 1861, much of the country was backward, poor, and agrarian: few would have believed that a hundred years later Italy would become one of the seven largest industrial countries, its people among the wealthiest in the world. This process of development and structural change has generated an enormous and evolving literature, alive with controversies and compelling insights. New research and reinterpretation of existing data have led to a reevaluation of the nature of Italian Dualism, while revisions to national income accounts are modifying the traditional picture of economic growth. Jon Cohen and Giovanni Federico provide a concise, up-to-date account of this literature, highlighting new views on old issues, and signalling areas in need of further research.

This volume in the New Studies in Economic and Social History series examines Italy's transformation from a largely rural state in the nineteenth century to today's industrial powerhouse. At the time of unification in 1861, much of the country was backward, poor, and agrarian: few would have believed that a hundred years later Italy would become one of the seven largest industrial countries, its people among the wealthiest in the world. This process of development and structural change has generated an enormous and evolving literature, alive with controversies and compelling insights. New research and reinterpretation of existing data have led to a reevaluation of the nature of Italian Dualism, while revisions to national income accounts are modifying the traditional picture of economic growth. Jon Cohen and Giovanni Federico provide a concise, up-to-date account of this literature, highlighting new views on old issues, and signalling areas in need of further research.

In the last two centuries, agriculture has been an outstanding, if somewhat neglected, success story. Agriculture has fed an ever-growing population with an increasing variety of products at falling prices, even as it has released a growing number of workers to the rest of the economy. This book, a comprehensive history of world agriculture during this period, explains how these feats were accomplished. Feeding the World synthesizes two hundred years of agricultural development throughout the world, providing all essential data and extensive references to the literature. It covers, systematically, all the factors that have affected agricultural performance: environment, accumulation of inputs, technical progress, institutional change, commercialization, agricultural policies, and more. The last chapter discusses the contribution of agriculture to modern economic growth. The book is global in its reach and analysis, and represents a grand synthesis of an enormous topic.