Publisher's Synopsis
In this major 'state of the art' survey, a highly distinguished team of contributors addresses the complex and crucial role of finance in European history during the period 1880-1960. Throughout the volume a comparative, global perspective is used in the analysis of a problem that may in fact be perceived at four levels. Firstly, the economic: what was the weight of the financial sector in a given economy? Secondly, the social: what was the specific position of the financial élites in society? Thirdly, the political: what was the impact of financial interests in politics? And finally the international: how was Europe's position as the 'world's banker' established, then gradually eroded?. Six European countries (the UK, France, Germany, Belgium, Sweden and Switzerland) are singled out for particular attention, and the rise of extra-European centres of financial power (notably USA and Japan) is considered in an extended concluding section. Both subjects and authors are truly international, and Finance and Financiers in European History makes a substantial contribution to an area of economic activity that is returning forcefully to the historical agenda.
