A History of the European Economy, 1000-2000

Book excerpt: Considering Europe as a whole rather than as a mosaic of individual states, François Crouzet presents here an accessible, engaging history of the European economy during the second millennium. Stressing the common economic institutions shared over time by the different regions of Europe and the networks of relations that have linked them, Crouzet examines pan-European changes and integration rather than merely the particular experiences of individual countries. A History of the European Economy, 1000-2000 goes beyond addressing the historical ramifications of trade in the European economy to encompass problems such as the diffusion of technology, the migration of capital and labor, diasporas and minorities, and national diversity. By stressing the historical origins of the drive toward European integration and its progress all the way to the birth of the euro, Crouzet delivers an original and comprehensive overview of European economic history.